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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Opens 2002 Softball Season
1/30/2002 | Softball
Jan. 30, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss softball team opens its 2002 season this weekend at the New Mexico Diamond Invitational in Albuquerque. The three-day event begins Friday at Lobo Field and pits Ole Miss against Indiana three times and host New Mexico twice.
Ole Miss and IU kick off the tournament Friday at 9 a.m. MT in the first ever encounter between the two schools. The Hoosiers compiled a 16-36 mark a year ago, but have 12 letterwinners back.
Returning eight starters from a 39-24-1 season, the Lobos have won all four previous meetings with the Rebels including both games at last year's Invitational.
Entering the program's sixth year of existence, the Rebels have revamped their lineup in 2002 with some exciting newcomers. Ole Miss returns only three position starters and eight letterwinners from last year's 18-40 squad, while adding new talent in five freshmen and two transfers.
Fourth-year Rebel Jessica Hamilton is the top returning hitter on the 2002 team with a .283 career batting average. After battling injuries her first two years, Hamilton played her first full season a year ago and finished second on the team in hitting with a .260 average while posting the Rebels' highest on-base percentage at .364.
On the mound, junior righthander Lindsay Price takes over as the staff leader. Last season, Price maintained a 3.25 ERA while raising her win total to five. She also notched her first two career shutouts, including a two-hitter against conference foe Kentucky.
Opening the season with two straight weekends on the road, Ole Miss follows up the UNM tourney with the Central Florida/Triple Crown Sports Tournament next weekend in Orlando. Ole Miss makes its home debut at the Rebel/Easton Invitational, Feb. 16-17 with Evansville, Tennessee-Martin and Nicholls State joining UM at Ole Miss Softball Complex.
Other regular season tournaments for Ole Miss include the Southeast Missouri Softball Classic, Mar. 1-3 in Cape Girardeau, and the Rebel Games, Mar. 16-17 in Kissimmee, Fla. The Rebels begin conference play Mar. 9-10 with a three-game set at Tennessee.
Ole Miss also matches up with some of the nation's elite in USA Today/NFCA preseason No. 13 Alabama, Apr. 13-14 in Oxford, No. 4 LSU, Apr. 27-28 in Oxford and No. 22 South Carolina, May 4-5 in Columbia.
