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'I want to be that guy': Dylan DeLucia thrives on being Ole Miss' go-to arm

11by:Jake Thompson•05/23/22•

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Dylan DeLucia
Ole Miss pitcher Dylan DeLucia

HOOVER, Ala. — If Dylan DeLucia had it his way he would pitch every single game of the season.

That mindset is what has made him the defacto ace of Ole Miss baseball’s pitching staff, although it took some time getting there.

Tuesday is the first round of the SEC Baseball tournament and with it brings an elimination game for Ole Miss and possibly in more ways than just this week.

Nine innings will determine if the season continues or not for the Rebels and DeLucia will be taking the mound for the third time in 10 days.

It is no sweat for DeLucia who echoed that sentiment to reporters on Monday after Ole Miss wrapped up practice at the Hoover Met.

“I really don’t think about it. I want to be that guy, at the end of the day,” DeLucia said. “I want to be the one people goes up to and give the ball every chance he can. If my arm’s up for it I’m going to. If I go out there on Wednesday to give them 100 (pitches) versus Tennessee I would.”

Confidence is not lacking with DeLucia. In fact it more so oozes out of the junior right-hander, something any ace needs when taking the mound.

Rest will be a factor, there is no denying that with four days rest between his start at LSU — which spanned two days — and against Texas A&M last Thursday. Four days will also be the number between starts once he throws his first pitch against Vanderbilt.

Five days is the usual comfortable number between starts for a pitcher and college season even allows for seven days. Going from a normal routine to anything but the last two weeks of the regular season was not too much for DeLucia.

In fact, according to both he and head coach Mike Bianco, if Ole Miss had been winning late in Saturday’s finale against the Aggies then DeLucia was going to go out there to try and win the game after Brandon Johnson had been used up.

The game was out of hand way before the final innings and DeLucia was not used. He did throw 57 pitches on Thursday before coming out but the shorter outing has him feeling physically okay enough to pitch.

“I think he’s the obvious choice,” said head coach Mike Bianco of DeLucia. “Obviously you don’t want to give the ball to a guy who can’t physically do it. This is a game where you win or you go home and you want to put your best guy out there if he’s able to pitch.

“He’s a guy who wants the ball. You saw that two weeks ago in Baton Rouge. You love guys like that. You love guys that have that toughness, that warrior mentality.”

To bring Tuesday’s opportunity full circle, DeLucia was someone who started the season in the bullpen.

Having that reliever role and never knowing when you are going to get your number called paid dividends for him over the last couple weeks.

“The good part is I was a reliever at the beginning of the year. It’s almost like it built me for it real quick,” DeLucia said.

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