Ole Miss to Open Season at State Farm College Baseball Showdown

The No. 5 ranked Ole Miss baseball team will be one of six top-10 squads to open the 2021 season at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field, the Texas Rangers announced Thursday.
 
The Rebels will represent the Southeastern Conference along with league rivals Arkansas and Mississippi State. The SEC trio will take on three talented Big 12 Conference squads: Texas, Texas Tech and TCU. All six teams landed in the Top 10 of D1Baseball’s preseason rankings.
 
“We’re really excited to be part of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown,” said Rebel head coach Mike Bianco.”What a way to kick off the season at a beautiful venue against great competition.”
 
Globe Life Field, the new home of the Rangers, opened less than a year ago. The first regular-season game was played at the Arlington, Texas, ballpark on July 24, 2020. The MLB venue also played host to the entirety of the 2020 World Series.
 
Ole Miss will open the 2020 season on Friday, Feb. 19, with a 3 p.m. CT meeting with TCU. The Rebels last met the Horned Frogs at another MLB ballpark, Houston’s Minute Maid Park, during the 2017 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic. TCU, then ranked No. 1, held off a late rally my Ole Miss in a 5-3 final.
 
The Rebels will then take on Texas Tech on Saturday, once again for a 3 p.m. CT first pitch. Ole Miss also last met the Red Raiders at Minute Maid Park in 2017. The Rebel pitching limited the Red Raiders to just six hits on the day, but the 10th-ranked Big 12 squad emerged with a 5-1 victory.
 
Finally, Ole Miss will conclude tournament play with a 3 p.m. CT meeting with Texas on Sunday. The Rebels and Longhorns have met 19 times with Texas holding a 14-5 advantage in the all-time series. The two last met in 2005 in the NCAA Oxford Super Regional. Ole Miss opened that three-game set with a Game 1 victory, but the Longhorns rallied on the final two days to advance to the College World Series.
 
For tickets and more event information, please visit the official Texas Rangers website. Tickets will go on sale starting at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 21. A single-day ticket will be good for all three games on that day, and a weekend pass will be good for all nine games in the three-day tournament.
 
All games of the 2021 State Farm College Showdown will be streamed live by FloSports, the exclusive broadcast partner for the tournament. To join the action, fans can watch here.
 
All tickets for this event are considered General Admission tickets. Upon arrival at Globe Life Field, open seats will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. In an effort to promote social distancing, every other row and select seats will be blocked. Single Day Tickets are priced at $25 for adults and $15 for youth 13 sand under while the Weekend Passes are priced at $50 for adults and $30 for youth 13 and under. Group and suite ticket packages are also available. .
 
All State Farm College Baseball Showdown games at Globe Life Field will require facial coverings, social distancing, as well as other enhanced safety and health measures. In an effort to enhance public safety, Globe Life Field will be enforcing a no bag policy. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items, including diaper bags, after proper inspection.
 
These health and safety protocols are similar to those that were in place for the Major League Baseball Postseason, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the Texas High School Football Playoffs
 
Single day parking will cost $15 and weekend parking will cost $30. Parking passes can be purchased in advance at texasrangers.com/collegebaseballshowdown, or at parking lot entrances with a credit card. All Globe Life Field concessions will be cashless and offer pre-packaged food and beverage options.

Staff Report