2012 Record: 37-26, 14-16 SEC
2012 Finish: Fourth Western Division
2012 Postseason: Eliminated in College Station Regional
Ole Miss was a game away from reaching the Super Regionals last season, but it wasn’t in the cards.
Despite the early exit, the Rebels have a lot they can build upon, especially with the starting pitching returning to Oxford, Miss.
Juniors Bobby Wahl and Mike Mayers will lead the charge after having successful sophomore campaigns.
Wahl, who was one of the top pitchers in the nation, posted a 7-4 record and 2.55 ERA while striking out 104 batters. Mayers, who made 17 appearances and 15 starts in 2012, brought in a 6.3 record and 3.50 ERA in 92 2/3 innings.
But the pitching alone won’t put Ole Miss in Omaha.
Unfortunately for the Rebels, they lost their tops hitter in Alex Yarbrough and Matt Snyder, but they do return a more than competent hitter in senior lefty Tanner Mathis. The senior was second on the team in average with a .359 clip last season while driving in 23 runs and totaling 102 bases.
Ole Miss fell into the middle of the pack of the SEC last year, and that could very well be the same if the hitting does not complement the pitching staff that should hold quality lineups at bay in 2013.
Key Series: vs. TCU, Feb. 15-17 — This is probably the best opening-weekend series in the nation. These two teams fought for the College Station Regional title last season, with the Horned Frogs edging out the Rebels. Although this series won’t have a major impact on the final conference and national rankings, winning this series will make people pay attention to Ole Miss while helping out its RPI very early.
Craig Amick
Tyler Knowles
Jono Greco
Blake Colston
Nick Gryniewicz
Kirsten Karbach