Troy Rallies for 12-8 Culture-Driven Victory Over Ole Miss at College World Series

OMAHA, Neb. — The Troy culture was on full display in Omaha on Sunday, as the Trojans rallied with 10 runs over the final five innings to defeat Ole Miss, 12-8, in front of a crowd of 24,013 in the first elimination game of the 2026 College World Series at Charles Schwab Field. 
 
The Trojans are making the second-straight Omaha appearance for the Sun Belt—the first non-autonomy conference to be represented in back-to-back College World Series since the Big West in 2016 and 2017—and the first in program history. 
 
“It’s because these guys are so tough,†said Troy head coach Skylar Meade of his team's resiliency. “I don’t think there’s ever been a game more indicative on this stage, for our program, for the DNA of these players and obviously the players who are not up here as well. It really did take everyone.â€
 
Troy senior shortstop Aaron Piasecki raked a leadoff double into the gap in left center in the top of the first, but was stranded on three-straight strikeouts by Ole Miss starter junior left-hander Hunter Elliott. In the bottom half of the frame, Ole Miss senior third baseman Judd Utermark drove in junior second baseman Dom Decker—who reached on a two-base error and advanced on a wild pitch—and came around to score on a two-out double down the left field line from sophomore outfielder Hayden Federico to give the Rebels an early 2-0 edge. 

After that first inning, Meade challenged his players to up their level. “Everybody's really nice to you in Omaha. They give you brunches, all the media talk to them—great job, you're awesome,†said Meade. “Well, I think for a second they thought they were more awesome than they were. So, we had to bring them back to remember that their edge is why they're here. I don't care that we're in front of 24,013 people, we are who we are. We're fighters. We're killers. We're going to get after it.â€Â 
 
With the leadoff man aboard for the second-straight inning on a five-pitch walk by senior outfielder Steven Meier, Troy capitalized with senior second baseman Sean Darnell tying things up with a 416-foot, two-run shot to right center field. The Rebels responded in the bottom half of the inning, with junior outfielder Brayden Randle sending his own no-doubt blast to right to give Ole Miss a 4-2 lead through two. 
 
Following a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third, Troy turned to junior left-hander Hayden Smith out of the bullpen. Smith recorded two strikeouts and a pop out to put the first 0 on the board for the Rebels. 
 
With two on and two out in the top of the fourth, Trojans leadoff man Piasecki grounded out to strand a pair. Ole Miss senior designated hitter Collin Reuter extended the Rebels advantage to 6-2 with a two-run homer to right in the bottom half of the inning. Troy sophomore right-hander Noah Thigpen entered out the bullpen, struck out two and induced a ground out to limit the Ole Miss damage.
 
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fifth, the Trojans plated their third run on a balk, before Darnell trimmed the Ole Miss lead to one, 6-5, with a two-RBI single through the left side of the infield. Junior designated hitter Jabe Boroff followed with a first-pitch-swinging single through the left side to chase Elliott, but sophomore outfielder Houston Markham grounded out to first two pitches later to end the Troy rally. 
 
“I know I've got Jabe Boroff behind me on deck and everybody knows he mashes,†said Darnell of eight-hole hitter Boroff whom he teamed with for 6-of-9 Trojan RBI on the day. “So, I'm confident in myself because I know I've got him hitting behind me. It's really just being confident with your teammates.â€Â 
 
Thigpen worked the first 1-2-3 inning for either team in the bottom half of the fifth and Ole Miss reliever sophomore right-hander JP Robertson responded in kind in the top of the sixth. 
 
Sun Belt Player of the Year sophomore catcher Jimmy Janicki roped a 416-foot leadoff shot over the bullpen in left to knot the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh. Later in the frame, Trojans postseason hero Boroff drove in a pair with a double down the left field line and came around to score on a Markham single up the middle to give Troy its first lead of the game, 9-6. Ole Miss got a small-ball run back in the bottom of the inning, with Federico coming around to score after a leadoff single to trim the Trojan lead to 9-7.
 
Troy senior first baseman Blake Cavill followed Janicki's lead, with a 398-foot leadoff blast of his own to open the top of the eighth. With two on and two out, Boroff reached on a dropped pop up on the left side of the infield, plating a pair of Trojan insurance runs, 12-7. Ole Miss senior first baseman Will Furniss posted a two-out solo home run down the left field line to trim the Troy lead to 12-8 through eight. 
 
Following a leadoff single up the middle by Federico, Troy called upon senior left-hander Zach Crotchfelt for the second time in as many games in Omaha. Crotchfelt retired the next three batters—two on strikeouts swinging—to close out the Trojan victory. 
 
Thigpen, who conceded two runs on six hits over 5.0 crucial innings in relief, earned the win—his first of the 2026 campaign. 
 
The Trojans—who won four-straight elimination games to advance out of the Gainesville Regional—will face the loser of North Carolina and West Virginia in another elimination game at 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 16. 
 
Over the past five years, the Sun Belt has sent 19 teams to NCAA Baseball Regionals, 12 to NCAA Baseball Regional finals, 3 to NCAA Baseball Super Regionals and 2 to the College World Series. 
 
The Sun Belt has been represented in Regional finals for six-straight seasons, Super Regionals for three of the past four years and the College World Series in back-to-back seasons for the first time in conference history. 
 
The Sun Belt's three Super Regional appearances and two College World Series appearances over the past four seasons each lead all non-autonomy conferences.