Jack Dougherty provides Ole Miss with the start it needed to open College World Series Final
OMAHA, Neb. — Jack Dougherty found out Friday afternoon he would be getting the ball on Saturday in the first game of the College World Series final. The start was the first for him in nearly three months to the day and it has Ole Miss baseball a win away from its first national championship.
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco made the decision to bump Hunter Elliott’s start back a day to Sunday and game two of the championship series. That meant someone needed to come out of the bullpen and toe the rubber on Saturday.
Dougherty was that person and was the first time he made an appearance that did not involve coming out of the bullpen since the Tennessee series on March 26. He kept the news pretty close to the vest.
“I tried not to think about it too much,” Dougherty said. “Just wanted to go out there and be myself. Found out yesterday that I was starting. My mom actually got mad at me because I didn’t tell her. I didn’t want to think about it too much, didn’t want to get in my own head. I just wanted to go out there and pitch.”
Keeping things clear between the ears worked as Dougherty provided a career outing, working five scoreless innings.
Earlier this month Dougherty spoke about finally understanding his role within the pitching staff and becoming a reliever. He found himself being calmer now that he knew exactly when he would be coming out of the bullpen.
Bianco’s decision turned that all on its head by asking Dougherty to return to his starter mindset and preparation.
The decision worked out beautifully as it saves Elliott for the chance to pitch Ole Miss to a national title on Sunday and also gave him 24 more hours of rest. Elliott has yet to pitch on four days rest this season.
Dougherty was the right guy at the right moment for Bianco and the Rebels.
“I think a couple of things,” Bianco said when asked why Dougherty was his choice. “One, looking (at Oklahoma’s) approach at the plate, they’re patient. They’re a very patient team. They walk a lot and felt we needed somebody that was going to fill up the strike zone. Of the guys that were available, I thought he was the best guy to do that.”
Getting Dougherty to work through five-plus innings — he faced four batters in the sixth inning — feels like Ole Miss is playing with house money the rest of the weekend.
Dougherty ate up innings and Bianco only went to the bullpen twice on Saturday in Mason Nichols and Johsh Mallitz. Neither threw more than 40 pitches and could be used in one of the next two games.
Also, Elliott is good to go on Sunday with Dylan DeLucia in the back pocket for the winner-take-all game on Monday, if needed, as he has pitched on short rest three previous times this season.
Related: LISTEN: Ole Miss baseball looks like a team of destiny. But the Rebels have one more win to get.
