Troy University’s baseball team posted a 12‑8 victory over Ole Miss in the opening elimination game of the 2026 College World Series, a contest that swung back and forth before the Trojans pulled away in the later innings.
The Rebels drew first blood, striking for two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Troy answered quickly as senior shortstop Aaron Piasecki sparked the offense with a leadoff double.
Sean Darnell, the Trojans’ second‑baseman, tied the game with a two‑run homer in the second frame, and the momentum shifted again when Ole Miss reclaimed a 4‑2 lead on a Brayden Randle homer later that inning.
Hayden Smith, a junior left‑hander, logged two strikeouts in the third, while Collin Reuter’s two‑run blast in the fourth pushed the Rebels ahead 6‑4. The Trojans’ bullpen began to settle the game, with Noah Thigpen entering in the fourth and later earning the win.
A Late Surge Defines the Contest
The turning point arrived in the seventh inning when Sun Belt Player of the Year Jimmy Janicki launched a leadoff home run, followed by Jabe Boroff’s RBI double that put Troy ahead 9‑6 for the first time.
Blake Cavill added a leadoff homer in the eighth, and after a dropped pop‑up allowed Boroff to plate two more runs, the Trojans extended their lead to 11‑7. Ole Miss trimmed the margin with a solo shot from Will Furniss, but the damage had been done.
Zach Crotchfelt closed out the game with three strikeouts, sealing a 12‑8 final score and delivering Troy’s first win of the tournament.
Head coach Skylar Meade praised his squad’s toughness, noting that the team’s unity and resilience were evident throughout the comeback.
Implications for the Sun Belt
The victory sets up a showdown against the loser of the North Carolina and West Virginia matchup on June 16, and it underscores the Sun Belt Conference’s sixth straight appearance in a Regional final.