Facing Adversity, Diamond Rebels Answered Every Nebraska Push; Ole Miss Now Moves to Regional Title Game

LINCOLN, Neb. — Throughout the postseason, baseball games often come down to one simple question: How do teams respond when adversity arrives?

Against Nebraska, Ole Miss had an answer for everything.

REBELS HOLD STRONG. Ole Miss defeats Nebraska to advance to the Lincoln Regional Championship Game tonight at 7 p.m. CT. pic.twitter.com/bGe22P3DH0

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) May 31, 2026

The Huskers struck first. The Rebels responded. Nebraska threatened with the bases loaded. Ole Miss escaped. The home team rallied late and brought the crowd to life. The Rebels weathered the storm, literally.

Even when Mother Nature delayed the game’s conclusion overnight, Ole Miss returned the next day and finished the job.

By the time Hudson Calhoun recorded the final outs of a 6-3 victory, the Rebels had once again demonstrated the resilience that has defined their postseason run and moved within one win of advancing out of the Lincoln Regional.

Nebraska landed the first punch in the fourth inning when Jett Buck connected on a solo home run to give the Huskers a 1-0 advantage.

For much of the afternoon, Nebraska starter Ty Horn appeared comfortable on the mound as Ole Miss struggled to generate offense. The Huskers had the early lead, the home crowd behind them and momentum on their side.

But head coach Mike Bianco’s Rebels never panicked. Instead, they waited for their opportunity. And that opportunity arrived in the sixth inning.

After being held scoreless through the first five innings, Ole Miss finally found the breakthrough it had been searching for. With runners aboard and the game hanging in the balance, Owen Paino stepped to the plate and delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon.

Rebs take the lead on a big double from Paino! pic.twitter.com/rbvGs2rtOl

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 31, 2026

The sophomore ripped a two-run double into the gap, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 Ole Miss lead and igniting the Rebels’ dugout. The hit not only put Ole Miss in front, it completely changed the momentum of the game. His swing gave Ole Miss the answer it needed after Nebraska’s early punch.

Moments later, Brayden Randle delivered another.

Less than 24 hours after his walk-off single ended the Rebels’ 14-inning thriller against Arizona State, Randle once again found himself in the middle of a defining postseason moment. The junior lined a two-out RBI single that scored Paino and stretched the lead to 3-1.

Rebs take the lead on a big double from Paino! pic.twitter.com/rbvGs2rtOl

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 31, 2026

It was another clutch hit from a player who continues to come through in some of Ole Miss’ biggest moments this postseason. And just like that, the Rebels had transformed a frustrating afternoon into a two-run advantage.

The response wasn’t over.

Nebraska immediately threatened to seize momentum back by loading the bases in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Huskers appeared poised to erase the lead they had just surrendered and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Instead, Ole Miss answered again. The Rebels escaped the jam without allowing a run, preserving the two-run cushion and silencing the crowd. Looking back, the sequence proved every bit as important as the three-run rally that gave Ole Miss the lead.

While Paino and Randle supplied the offensive fireworks, Taylor Rabe laid the foundation for the victory.

The left-hander turned in one of his best performances of the season, working six innings while allowing just one run and striking out nine. Whenever Nebraska appeared ready to build momentum, Rabe found a way to shut the door. His ability to keep the Huskers from extending their early lead gave Ole Miss time to find its offense.

Rebs take the lead on a big double from Paino! pic.twitter.com/rbvGs2rtOl

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 31, 2026

Simply put, the Rebels do not find themselves in position to win without Rabe’s effort on the mound. Ole Miss rewarded that outing by continuing to add on.

The Rebels pushed two more runs across in the seventh inning before adding another in the eighth, stretching the lead to 6-1 and creating what appeared to be comfortable breathing room.

As it turned out, every insurance run mattered. Nebraska refused to go quietly. Reed Strohmeyer launched a two-run home run in the eighth inning, trimming the Ole Miss lead to 6-3 and breathing life back into the Huskers’ dugout.

Suddenly, the pressure shifted back to the Rebels.

Then came another challenge. Weather forced the game to be suspended overnight, leaving Ole Miss three outs away from victory but still needing to finish the job the following day.

When play resumed, Nebraska had one final opportunity to mount a comeback. The Huskers eventually brought the tying run to the plate, creating one last tense moment in a game that seemed to have no shortage of them.

Ole Miss answered once more.

A crucial double play erased the threat before Calhoun took care of the rest. The right-hander recorded the final outs and secured his third save of the season, slamming the door on Nebraska’s comeback hopes.

BALLGAME‼️ pic.twitter.com/MDdbYjZQVo

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 31, 2026

The box score will show Paino’s go-ahead double, Randle’s clutch RBI, Rabe’s nine strikeouts and Calhoun’s save. Those were the plays that decided the game. But the bigger story was Ole Miss’ response.

Every time Nebraska created adversity, the Rebels found a way to answer. And in June baseball, that ability can be every bit as valuable as a timely hit or a dominant pitching performance.

Next Up:

Ole Miss moves into the championship game of the Lincoln Regional and will take on the Sunday-afternoon winner of Arizona State and Nebraska. The first pitch for Ole Miss vs. that winner is set for 7 p.m. Sunday.