OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss baseball team will take to the practice field for the first time this fall when the Rebels open fall practice at Oxford High School on Friday. The Rebels will practice at Oxford High while renovations to Oxford-University Stadium are completed for the upcoming season.

The Rebels are coming off a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance after advancing to the Regional Championship game against No. 1 Miami in the Coral Gables Regional last season. It marked the fourth-straight year Ole Miss had played in a Regional Championship game. Ole Miss is one of only six schools in the nation to advance to a Regional Championship game each of the last four years. The Rebels won the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Oxford Regional Championships.

“This time of year is always exciting,” said head coach Mike Bianco. “We get on the field for the first time and see the new recruits in action. We also get to see the returning players take the field again. I think our returners will surprise a lot of people when they see just how much we have coming back for the 2009 season.”

Friday’s practice is scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m. and last approximately two hours. While the practices are not closed, fans are encouraged to be mindful of the fact that Oxford High will still be in session when practice begins and the Chargers will be hosting the Cross-Town Classic with Lafayette that evening, so parking will be limited.

The Rebels will take to the field twice more this weekend with the annual Scout Day being held on Saturday and a final practice on Sunday.

Saturday’s practice will feature a scrimmage that will begin at 12:50 p.m. with batting practice and pre-game warm ups beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday’s practice is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.