Jack Daugherty retired the first 15 batters, while Tim Elko had four hits and scored three times as Ole Miss defeated OU to kick off their CWS Championship Series.
Daugherty (4-3) worked into the sixth inning with three hits, two runs, one walk and six strikeouts.
The Rebels put together a two-out rally in the top of the first. Elko singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Kevin Graham single. Graham stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on an error to give Ole Miss a 2-0 edge.
“I really thought we played well tonight,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “I thought the first inning was huge. [Jack] Bennett is so good, a Big Leaguer out there, and to draw him the first game of the Championship Series I think is a tough challenge for the offense. But after two outs Tim got a big base hit. I think he advanced on a wild pitch fastball, and then Kevin got a huge hit through the 6-hole, which one of the things we did in practice yesterday, getting those left-handers to work the other way.”
Ole Miss added to its lead in the second, again with two away. Calvin Harris (2 for 4, 2 R) singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a base hit by Justin Bench (2 for 5) to make it 3-0.
Elko went deep to lead off the third as the Rebels took a 4-0 lead.
Dougherty was perfect through five innings, but the Sooners got to him in the sixth. Jackson Nicklaus had a leadoff single and went to second on a base hit by Sebastian Orduno (2 for 4). Kendall Pettis reached on a bunt single and Nicklaus scored on the errant throw to first to make it 4-1. John Spikerman drew a walk to load the bases and signal the end of the night for Dougherty. Mason Nichols came in from the bullpen and fanned two before a walk to Tanner Tredaway forced in a run as OU trailed 4-2. A comebacker to Nichols ended the threat.
“Hats off to them for taking the momentum of the game,” OU head coach Skip Johnson said. “We had a chance to get back in the game to take the momentum back, scored two runs. They brought a reliever in. Did a great job.”
Nichols worked two scoreless innings with no hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
TJ McCants belted a two-run homer with two away in the eighth, while Harris and Bench followed with solo shots for Ole Miss to push the advantage to 8-2.
Pettis drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth, went to second on a balk and scored on a two-out single by Blake Robertson as OU cut the deficit to 8-3.
Peyton Chatagnier (3 for 5) delivered an RBI double and Hayden Dunhurst added a sacrifice fly in the ninth as the Rebels stretched the lead to 10-3.
Josh Mallitz pitched the final two innings for Ole Miss with two hits, one run, two walks and four strikeouts. The three Rebel hurlers combined for 15 strikeouts.
Jake Bennett (10-4, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER) fanned 10 in 6.1 innings for the Sooners.