Dylan DeLucia was dominant on Thursday.
The junior right-hander tossed a four-hit shutout as Ole Miss edged Arkansas to advance to the CWS Championship series.
The Rebels will face Oklahoma in the best-of-three series for the national title beginning on Saturday, June 25.
“Another really great baseball game by both teams,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “Another great pitching performance by both clubs. I don’t know how many times that happens where both clubs pitch it so well two days in a row. Both Connor [Moland] and Dylan pitched today like Friday Night aces in the Southeastern Conference and were terrific and really kind of matching each other pitch for pitch. They played great defense, like Arkansas can. I thought it was a super game. We got a couple of huge hits by Kevin [Graham] and Calvin Harris, the timely hit that we talk about so much. But the story of the day was Dylan, just legendary performance.”
DeLucia (8-2) allowed four singles, did not walk a batter and struck out seven. He threw 113 pitches.
“I thought I didn’t really have command of my fastball that well until later on in the game,” DeLucia said, “but I was commanding the slider so well, so we just stuck with it. Throwing it for first pitch strike, throwing it late in the count. But just attacked them.”
After the Rebels were retired in order in the top of the first, the Razorbacks put two on with two away, but both were stranded.
Ole Miss broke through in the top of the fourth. Justin Bench (2 for 4) had a leadoff single, moved to second on a groundout and came home on a two-out double by Kevin Graham (2 for 4) to take a 1-0 lead.
The Rebels added to their lead in the seventh. Tim Elko had a leadoff single and went to second on a base hit by Graham. With one away, Calvin Harris singled to right to drive in Elko and make it a 2-0 contest.
Arkansas put two on with two away in the seventh, but DeLucia rolled a groundout to keep the Hogs off the scoreboard. DeLucia retired the Razorbacks in order in the eighth and ninth to secure the victory.
Connor Noland (8-6) went eight innings for Arkansas with seven hits, two runs, no walks and seven strikeouts.
“What a great pitchers’ duel,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “They gave it everything they had. We had a couple opportunities. Dylan did a great job over there. He didn’t walk anybody. He didn’t give us a chance. We didn’t have a leadoff man on one time in nine innings. It’s hard to score against good pitching when the leadoff man doesn’t get on.”