- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Ole Miss Sticking with Same Pitching Rotation for Second Weekend Series
Rebels' starting trio of Elliott, Townsend, and Libbert proved effective in opening sweep of Nevada.
Published on Feb. 27, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Ole Miss baseball head coach Mike Bianco is keeping the same starting pitching rotation for the Rebels' second weekend series against Missouri State. Ace Hunter Elliott, Cade Townsend, and Wil Libbert combined for a strong opening weekend against Nevada, and Bianco sees no need to change a winning formula.
Why it matters
Maintaining a consistent pitching rotation is crucial for college baseball teams looking to build momentum and confidence early in the season. Ole Miss' starters were dominant in their first outing, and keeping them in their established roles should allow the Rebels to build on that success.
The details
Elliott, Townsend, and Libbert combined for 14.2 innings, 11 hits, four runs, and 22 strikeouts against Nevada, with only three total walks. Libbert threw the most pitches at 81, while Elliott and Townsend stayed around 50-55 pitches in their first starts. Bianco expects the starters to be stretched out a bit more in their second outings against Missouri State.
- The series against Missouri State begins on Friday, February 21 at 4 p.m. CT.
- Saturday's game is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.
- The series finale is set for Sunday, February 23 at 1:30 p.m. CT.
The players
Mike Bianco
The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team.
Hunter Elliott
The ace starting pitcher for the Ole Miss Rebels.
Cade Townsend
A starting pitcher for the Ole Miss Rebels.
Wil Libbert
A starting pitcher for the Ole Miss Rebels, a Missouri transfer.
What they’re saying
“'(Libbert) was terrific and deserved that,'”
— Mike Bianco, Head Coach (on3.com)
“'A guy that's got SEC experience and a guy that hopefully he's gonna have one of those great years for him.'”
— Mike Bianco, Head Coach (on3.com)
What’s next
The Rebels will look to continue their strong start to the season as they host Missouri State for a three-game series from February 21-23.
The takeaway
By sticking with the same successful starting rotation, Ole Miss is showing confidence in its pitchers and prioritizing consistency as it looks to build on an impressive opening weekend sweep. This approach should give the Rebels' starters the best chance to find a rhythm and lead the team to more victories.
