A Disappointing End in Omaha
The Ole Miss Rebels saw their 2026 campaign close with a 12-8 loss to Troy in the final game of the College World Series, finishing the season at 41-23. The defeat capped a run that included seven appearances at the tournament and underscored the program’s consistent presence on the national stage.
Early in the game, Ole Miss struck first when Dom Decker crossed the plate in the opening inning, and the Rebels built a 2-0 lead. Austin Fawley, Brayden Randle and Collin Reuter combined for a 6-for-14 effort, including two home runs and five RBI, while Randle’s fourth homer of the season put the team up 4-2.
Reuter’s two-run blast in the fourth extended the advantage to 6-2, but Troy answered with a two-run homer in the second to knot the score at 2-2. The game remained tightly contested until the seventh inning, when a leadoff homer by Troy tied the contest at 6-6.
Troy’s momentum shifted dramatically in the eighth, as they added three runs to go up 9-6 and later stretched the lead to 12-7. Will Furniss contributed a ninth homer of the season in the eighth, but the Rebels could not recover the deficit.
Starter Hunter Elliott worked 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on five hits, but the pitching staff could not contain Troy’s late surge. Coach Mike Bianco expressed disappointment but pride in the team’s achievements, acknowledging the narrow margin of defeat.