LOOK: Ole Miss students storm right field terrace to reserve seats for baseball's home opener

By now, most everyone knows about the incredible fanbase which supports Ole Miss baseball. The Rebels program is known for its packed right field terrace and the ever so popular beverage shower after the home team hits a home run. But on Friday morning, the students took it to another level.

HERE. THEY. COME. pic.twitter.com/HCWuKagqeN

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 11, 2022

It actually started for some Thursday evening, camping out all night in order to get the first crack at reserving their seats in right field a week ahead of first pitch on February 18 against Charleston Southern at Swayze Field.

Ole Miss will open the season next week on Friday with the first pitch to be delivered at 4pm CT. Head coach Mike Bianco and his team look to build off last year’s success where they were one game away from making it to Omaha, Neb. for the College World Series. The Rebels will have to replace two weekend starters, Gunnar Hoglund and Doug Nikhazy but have reloaded with Oregon State transfer Jack Washburn and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi lefty John Gaddis.

Junior Derek Diamond will get the ball on Friday but the rest of the weekend rotation is still to be determined over the course of the final two weeks of preseason preparations, per Jake Thompson of OMSpirit.

This is one special place. pic.twitter.com/yxHqhdvJ8f

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 11, 2022

Offensively, Ole Miss has a chance to be one of the premier lineups in not only the Southeastern Conference but in the entire country. Bianco’s lineup brings back virtually everyone from a lineup that hit .288 as a team a year ago. The SEC released the Preseason Coaches Poll and Preseason All-SEC team on Thursday, with five Rebels being named honorees as voted on by the league’s coaches.

Jacob Gonzalez, who has dubbed a preseason All-American by several national publications, started all 67 games at shortstop as a true freshman a year ago. The second Rebel ever to get an All-American nod as a freshman, joining Stephen Head, set single-season freshman school records in games played (67), runs scored (73), RBI (55), total bases (147), and walks (38).

Hayden Dunhurst is one of the best to do it behind the dish, becoming Ole Miss’ first-ever Gold Glove Award catcher in 2021. The Carriere, Miss., prospect batted .280 last season, adding 43 RBIs and 40 runs as well as 20 extra base hits on the way to Second Team All-SEC honors.

The heart and soul of the program, Tim Elko battled back from an early season ACL injury and hit seven home runs, including two grand slams during the NCAA Oxford Regional, to spark Ole Miss to the Super Regional round against Arizona.

Peyton Chatagnier returns for his third season as the Rebels’ second baseman. The Texan product hit .271 in 2021, knocking in 43 RBIs and scoring 41 runs with 13 doubles and six homers. Chatagnier forms one of the better middle infield duos with Gonzalez, fielding at a .976 clip and turning 19 double plays.
 
Second on the team in batting with a .342 average last season, Kevin Graham earns second team consideration after being tabbed to the ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-South Region squad in 2021. The O’Fallon, Missouri, utility player led Ole Miss with 56 RBIs a season ago, also leading the team in extra base hits with 15 doubles and 14 home runs. Graham finished the season on a 60-game hitting streak, the longest in college baseball.