HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Tim Elko drove in the first run of the game with a single and added a two-run double in a seven-run sixth inning to power Mississippi to a 10-0 romp over No. 11 overall seed Southern Mississippi in the first round of the Hattiesburg Super Regional on Saturday.
Ole Miss (36-22) and Southern Miss (47-18) will play again on Sunday. A win by the Rebels would send them to the College World Series. If the Golden Eagles win it would force a deciding game on Monday. Ole MIss is aiming for its sixth CWS appearance but just its second since 1972. The Rebels have never won the event. Southern Miss has made just one appearance — in 2009.
The Rebels took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on Elko’s single and a sacrifice fly by Kemp Alderman. Garrett Wood made it 3-0 with a RBI double in the fourth.
Ole Miss broke the game open in the sixth. Justin Bench was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the first run. Jacob Gonzalez singled in a run and back-to-back doubles by Elko and Kevin Graham pushed the lead to 9-0. Hayden Dunhurst singled in Graham for the final run.
Dylan DeLucia (6-2) pitched 5 2/3 innings in a start for the Rebels, allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out nine. Jack Dougherty permitted only one baserunner — on a hit by pitch — in the final 3 1/3 innings to notch his second save.
Hurston Waldrep (6-2) was tagged with the loss for the Golden Eagles. He allowed five runs — four earned — on six hits and four walks in five innings. Twelve of the 15 batters Waldrep retired were by strikeouts.
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