Lead Story: Rebels Outlast Arizona State in Extra-Inning Classic
Brayden Randle delivered when it mattered most. The Ole Miss infielder laced a walkoff base hit in the bottom of the 14th inning to lift the No. 18 Rebels past No. 22 Arizona State, 7-6, in the opening round of the Lincoln Regional, per D1Baseball and the school's official report. The win sends Ole Miss into the winners bracket and a marquee Saturday night showdown with host Nebraska under the lights in Lincoln.
The marathon stretched well beyond regulation, a grind that tested both bullpens before the Rebels found a way through. Randle was quick to spread the credit. "We got it done, that's all that matters," he said, according to ESPN, pointing to the Ole Miss pitching staff and crediting every man in the dugout for the regional opener. "Every Rebel played a role," Randle added, framing the comeback as a full-roster effort rather than a one-man show.
The reward is a heavyweight matchup. Ole Miss now draws Nebraska, the regional host, in a primetime Saturday clash that carries序 control of the bracket. A win would push the Rebels to the doorstep of a regional title; a loss drops them into the elimination gauntlet. Either way, the SEC's representative in Lincoln has already proven it can survive the longest of nights.
Quick Hits
Kentucky grinds out a comeback in Morgantown. After hearing all week that they didn't belong, the Wildcats answered with grit, battling quality Wake Forest arms for a comeback win, per D1Baseball. Host West Virginia, meanwhile, did all its damage in two big innings to cruise past Binghamton.
Texas A&M rallies past Lamar. The Aggies' comeback victory headlined opening day at the College Station Regional, according to D1Baseball, keeping the host on track in its own backyard.
Florida vs. Miami pushed back. The Gators' second game of the Gainesville Regional against Miami has been moved back two hours per NCAA rules and will now begin at 8 p.m. Saturday night, the school confirmed.
Alabama loads up for nationals. The Crimson Tide punched eight berths to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships across six events on the third day of the NCAA East First Round, per the school's release — a strong haul to close out regional competition.
Mizzou guard finds a new home. Missouri guard Sebastian Mack, a UCLA transfer who averaged 12.1 points per game as a freshman and 9.6 as a sophomore before a limited role with the Tigers, is headed to UNLV, per an RSS aggregator report. The fit never clicked in Columbia as Missouri leaned into jumbo lineups that clogged his driving lanes.
Top seeds tumble out West. In non-conference bracket chaos, No. 1 seed UCLA and No. 2 seed Virginia Tech both fell at the Los Angeles Regional — to Saint Mary's and Cal Poly, respectively — in a pair of pitching-and-defense masterpieces, D1Baseball reported.
Portal Watch
No new SEC transfer portal activity surfaced over the last 12 hours. The most recent notable move on the radar remains Missouri's Sebastian Mack landing at UNLV, but no fresh entries or commitments came across the wire this morning.
Recruiting Buzz
No new commitments to report this morning. The recruiting board stayed quiet across the conference over the past 12 hours — check back as the weekend unfolds.
Games to Watch
Ole Miss at Nebraska — Saturday night, Lincoln Regional. The headliner. The Rebels and host Huskers meet in the winners bracket after both advanced Friday, with control of the regional on the line under the lights.
Florida vs. Miami — Saturday, 8 p.m., Gainesville Regional. The Gators' rescheduled second game gives the SEC another primetime baseball window, now bumped two hours later per NCAA rules.
It's a baseball-heavy Saturday for the conference, with two SEC hosts and contenders in the spotlight as the NCAA Tournament's opening weekend reaches its decisive stretch.
