OXFORD | Doug Nikhazy fist pumped a foul ball after what was the second strike of an at-bat against Clemson All-American Logan Davidson and the penultimate pitch of the eighth inning.
Seconds later the freshman cleaned his spikes, went into the stretch, quickly looked at the runner in scoring position and unleashed one final swing and miss.
Davidson’s search for contact came up empty, giving Nikhazy nine strikeouts and 111 pitches. The largest of many short bursts of Nikhazy celebrations was a double-barreled fist pump and a receiving line of teammates. There was a yell, and he disappeared into the dugout.
The work was done, except for a ninth-inning opportunity for a thunderous ovation, and Nikhazy continued amassing his season of spectacular work. Ole Miss beat Clemson, 6-1, on the strength of three home runs and Nikhazy’s left arm. The Tigers had only one hit through the first six innings, and Nikhazy got a double play in the seventh on the play that gave Clemson its lone run.
Combined with the SEC Tournament, Nikhazy has allowed one earned run in 16 innings including a 14-inning scoreless streak. While many freshmen struggle with the increased magnitude as seasons move toward climaxes, Nikhazy has maintained his fiery but fun demeanor. He jogged around and chatted with fans a half hour before first pitch. He laughed at catcher Cooper Johnson when Clemson made a mini threat in the late innings.
While so much of the season’s storyline has been the Ole Miss mood at Swayze Field in the postseason, Nikhazy provided a playground of fun to go with his mastery.
“The game sort of flew by for me,” Nikhazy said. I tried to figure out their offense and how to approach them and then I started to enjoy it and take it in. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment with that crowd and that scene.”
Nikhazy started his college career as a bullpen option still learning how to pitch at the advanced level. But on a team full of veterans with scar-tissued experience, the long-haired fireball is the most valuable player. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning during his first SEC start at Missouri, and his emergence has changed the trajectory of the Rebels who are one win from a super regional. Ole Miss had only one start from someone not named Will Ethridge go six or more innings before Nikhazy entered on weekends.
Johnson had the best seat on Saturday among the thousands in attendance. After the game he thought back and reflected on Nikhazy’s improvement and maturity. If Ole Miss gets back to Omaha, both of them have their own chapters as causes for it.
“It used to be me having to guide him through it more,” Johnson said. “I’d remind him to make certain adjustments. Now I look back at tonight and I was along for the ride. I was setting up and he was hitting the spot. He was fantastic.”
Johnson, who was the second act of back-to-back home runs with Cole Zabowski in the second inning to rattle Clemson starter Mat Clark, is aware the Rebels are back to the position from a year ago when Tennessee Tech ruined what was the best season in school history to that point. But instead of revenge or reclaiming what was lost, tomorrow is about this team, these players and trying to maximize the current opportunity.
The junior catcher said looking in the past doesn’t do any good, and he just wants to know when to show up at the park. Despite an odd year of rollercoaster weeks, Ole Miss is three wins from the College World Series.
“You hope we’re one of those teams people talk about,” Mike Bianco said, “the ones who are playing their best baseball at the end and make it be something special.”
After the leadoff walk in the ninth to end Nikhazy’s night and give him the standing ovation, Parker Caracci cleaned up the final three outs. Ole Miss has the rest of its bullpen completely rested for the winner of Jacksonville State and Clemson. Those two meet at 2 p.m., and the regional final is at 8 p.m. An if-necessary game would be Monday at 6 p.m.
Kevin Graham hit a home run in the eighth to give the Rebels their five-run lead back, and the freshman has five home runs in the last 15 games — and 10 total on the season.
Clark took a no-hitter into the ninth inning last week against Louisville in the ACC Tournament, but he lasted just 3.1 innings on Saturday, throwing 80 pitches and allowing eight runners including the two home runs.
Ole Miss scored in four different innings and now has 22 runs in 17 offensive innings in the regional. But as the night developed it was all about Nikhazy. Fittingly since his Saturday role changed the season.
“Nikhazy was just phenomenal,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said. “We had no answer for him."
