Ole Miss Softball Game Notes

March 22, 2003

Ole Miss (12-15, 3-3 SEC) vs. Auburn (14-18, 3-6 SEC)
Ole Miss Softball Complex (Oxford, Miss.)
March 22 - Games one & two, 1 & 3 p.m. CST
March 23 - Game three, 1 p.m. CST

OPPONENT INFO
Head Coach: Tina Deese
2003 Record/SEC: 14-18/3-6
Top Hitter: Sara Dean (So., C/DP), .308, 4 HR, 13 RBI
Top Pitcher: Janet Spivey (Fr., R), 6-7, 3.10 ERA

MEDIA
Audio: www.auburntigers.com (click on Radio/TV at the top)
Livestats: www.olemisssports.com ( | | )

SEC HOME OPENER
Ole Miss (12-15, 3-3 SEC) hosts its first Southeastern Conference home series of the year this weekend against Auburn (14-18, 3-6 SEC). The Rebels opened the current five-game homestand Wednesday in a doubleheader split with Southern Miss. The Ole Miss-Auburn series has been controlled by the Tigers, who boast a 15-17 all-time edge. Auburn swept last year's three-game set on the Plains. The Rebels currently sit third in the SEC Western Division standings, a game and a half ahead of AU who is tied for fifth.

LAST TIME OUT
After 13 straight games on the road, Ole Miss returned home Wednesday to split a doubleheader with in-state foe Southern Miss. The early game saw Ole Miss suffer only its fourth shutout of the season, 4-0. Eagle hurler Jessica Holaway (6-9) held the Rebels to three hits - all bunts - in the complete-game win. Game two saw freshman Dana Brill earn her first win as an Ole Miss pitcher, combining with Lindsay Price on a two-hit shutout, 1-0. After losing five of her first six starts in the Red and Blue, Brill (1-5) worked 4.1 innings with one hit allowed in picking up the win. Price finished off Southern with one hit surrendered over the final 2.2 frames in registering her third career save and first of the season. Ole Miss picked up the game's lone run in the third inning, when Stacy McCommon singled, stole second base and third, and reached home on a USM throwing error.

SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DeDe Justice was named the Southeastern Conference Softball Player of the Week on Monday, becoming the first Rebel softball player to receive the honor. A native of Vero Beach, Fla., Justice guided Ole Miss to a series win at Kentucky last weekend with a record-setting performance. In Sunday's rubber match, the sophomore catcher became the first Rebel to homer twice in one game in Ole Miss' 14-7 victory over the Wildcats. She also set a school record for single-game RBI with six, while her nine total bases matched the previous game high. In six total games last week, Justice batted .368 (7-for-19) with 10 runs driven in, including the game-winning RBI in a 3-2 win at Arkansas on Wednesday.

SISTER ACT
This weekend's series will be a family affair for the Chitwoods of Chandler, Ariz., as sisters Jordan and Lindsey face off on opposite sides of the field. The former Hamilton High School standouts are both 5-4, righthanded infielders that have seen time at second and third base. Jordan has started 17 games of her freshman season and has emerged as a key figure for the Rebels at second base. She is batting .238 and is tied for fourth on the team in RBI with 17. Lindsey, a junior, has started 110 games over the last three seasons, including 12 this year. She has two hits and two RBI on the season.

RECORD DAY
The finale of the Kentucky turned out to be a record-setting showcase for Ole Miss. In the series-clinching 14-7 win, DeDe Justice became the first Rebel to homer twice in one game. She finished 3-for-4 and established new single-game school records for homers with two and RBI with six. She also tied the UM game high for total bases with nine. Desiree Layman also attacked the Ole Miss record book, tying the single-game standard for hits with four, including two doubles. In addition, Brooke Turner and Mandy Ott each batted 3-for-4, while Jordan Chitwood and Rebecca McIntire collected two hits apiece as part of the Rebels' 18-hit barrage. McIntire also drove in four runs.

ROAD WARRIORS
Ole Miss recently hit the road for one of the longest trips in school history. Living out of suitcases for 12 days, the Rebels played 13 straight away from Oxford, traveling first to the Speedline Invitational in Plant City, Fla., before beginning SEC play at Arkansas and Kentucky. Ole Miss posted a 3-4 mark at the Speedline and advanced to the finals of the consolation bracket. The Rebels then dropped 2-of-3 in Fayetteville, but rebounded with a series win in Lexington, taking 2-of-3 from the Wildcats. The travels saw Lindsay Price reel off a five-game winning streak on the mound, while Rebecca McIntire collected a single in the first nine games of the strip. She batted .395 for the road swing, while Mandy Ott hit .417 and DeDe Justice .405. Ole Miss finished 6-7 on the trip.

HEATING UP
After struggling through the first month of the season, the Rebel offense has been clicking of late and just in time for the SEC season. Going back to the recent 13-game road trip, the Ole Miss bats have improved tremendously led by freshmen Mandy Ott and Rebecca McIntire, who are hitting .379 and .372, respectively, over the last 15 games. Here is how the Rebels' recent numbers compare to their early-season stats:

Games  AVG SLG OBP HitsPG  RunsPG  SO PGFirst 12    .222    .316    .306    5.33    3.43    6.17Last 15 .271    .350    .362    6.80    3.60    4.67

The University of Mississippi Athletics

Related News

Related Videos