The Legend of Loosh: Rebels Head into CWS Championship Series Behind Dylan DeLucia’s Masterpiece on the Mound
OMAHA –Â Dylan DeLucia was on short rest, but that didn’t stop him from pitching the game of his life. His complete-game shutout of Arkansas led the way as Ole Miss defeated Arkansas, 2-0, and punched its ticket to the championship series against Oklahoma.
Even Mike Bianco couldn’t help but be wowed by what he saw.
“Just wow. Another really great baseball game and another great pitching performance by both clubs… We got a couple huge hits by Kevin Graham and Calvin Harris but the story of the day was Dylan. A legendary performance.“
Ole Miss head coach Mike BiancoÂ
EARLY DEFENSE
After both pitchers got through the first inning unscathed, they each got some help from their defense in the second.
For Arkansas, Kemp Alderman scorched a ground ball hard towards right field, but Razorback gold-glover Robert Moore made an insane play to get him at first base.
GOLD GLOVER BOB MOORE pic.twitter.com/D4rCHjb33h
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 23, 2022
Then in the bottom half, Moore led off the inning with a deep ball into left field, but Kevin Graham went up and got it to save extra bases.
His Airness.@kevgraham11 | #OleMaha pic.twitter.com/NiDGy92GsD
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
HURLERS LOCKED IN
Through the first three innings of the contest, both DeLucia and Arkansas starter Connor Noland were in complete control.
Noland had a perfect game broken up by Hayden Dunhurst in the third, but that was the only hit for the Rebs to that point. DeLucia allowed two singles in the first but no further damage. Noland had thrown just 34 pitches, DeLucia had thrown 41.
REBS STRIKE FIRST
In the top of the fourth, Justin Bench led off the inning with a single, followed by a fielder’s choice groundout by Jacob Gonzalez that moved him up to second. Tim Elko would then strike out, but Kevin Graham would deliver an RBI double down the right field line to give the Rebels an early 1-0 lead.
REBS STRIKE FIRST!
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/3H6EBIVX0L
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
The Rebs would leave Graham stranded at second, but DeLucia would keep the Hogs off the scoreboard in the home half to keep the lead intact.
Putting it on cruise control.@dylan_delucia22 | #OleMaha pic.twitter.com/PT4KKQFNMj
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
CRUISIN’
DeLucia continued to roll through six complete, needing just 69 pitches to rack up four strikeouts and allow just three hits to keep the Rebels on top by a run.
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In the Ole Miss seventh, Tim Elko and Kevin Graham would get back-to-back singles to start the frame. Kemp Alderman would then pop out, but Calvin Harris would deliver an RBI single to give the Rebels a two run lead.
ATTA BOY CAL!
📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Q9y5FHYcUr
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
Harris would attempt to get to second on the throw in, but would be out on a great tag by Jalen Battles. Peyton Chatagnier would then fly out to end the frame, but the Rebels had a big insurance run for Loosh.
Arkansas would put two runners on with two outs on an infield single from Robert Moore, followed by a fielding error on Jacob Gonzalez that allowed Jalen Battles to reach.
But Peyton Chatagnier would flash some incredible leather to get Brady Slavens and end the threat.
What a moment. What a pitch. What a play! #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/ISPy7NUMT9
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) June 23, 2022
DeLucia would lock down the Arkansas eighth as well, bringing his strikeout total to six on just 102 pitches without walking a single batter.
TITLE BOUND
The Rebels had an 2-0 lead headed into the ninth inning.
And Dylan DeLucia would finish off a complete-game no-hitter on four days rest to lead Ole Miss into the championship series in Omaha.
SHUTOUT. TO THE FINALS Y'ALL! pic.twitter.com/wnt2e1LYTR
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
LOOOOOOOOOSH! pic.twitter.com/M8a8gVexW5
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
What a performance.
What a moment. pic.twitter.com/3iz66IIGVc— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) June 23, 2022
The final line on DeLucia: Complete game, four hits, seven strikeouts, no walks, no runs, 113 pitches.
Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn talked very highly of DeLucia after the game.
“Dylan just did a great job over there. Didn’t give us anything, didn’t walk anyone. We didn’t have the leadoff man on one time in nine innings. Disappointed we lost, but so proud of my team.“
Coach Dave Van Horn on DeLucia
But it was Tim Elko who summed up DeLucia’s performance the best.
“Just so much confidence. As you can see he just put on quite the pitching performance. He just gets outs one after the other. We have a lot of confidence playing behind him. We make some plays behind him but he takes care of a lot of it so hats off to him. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a better pitching performance in a clutch game like that so just really proud of him.”
Tim Elko on Dylan DeLucia
UP NEXT
The Rebels will face Oklahoma in the championship series beginning Saturday at 6:00 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.
Hotty Toddy!!
(Feature image credit: Ole Miss Baseball)
Austin Eldridge
Austin has more than ten years in sports media, including sports talk radio, play-by-play broadcasting and journalism. He has followed Ole Miss athletics for his entire life and has covered the Rebels and the rest of the SEC while working in the Memphis media market. Outside of sports media, Austin is a musician and outdoorsman. Before a serious accident forced him to be medically discharged, he was a multi-media journalist with the Mississippi National Guard.
