![#3 [11] Texas Tech/Marist](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Folemisssports.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2FNCAALogoUpdated.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
![#6 [4] Texas](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Folemisssports.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Ftexas_200x200.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
![#5 [5] Tennessee](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Folemisssports.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Fut_logo.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp){kind=logo}
![#23 [12] South Carolina](https://images.sidearmdev.com/crop?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Folemisssports.com%2Fimages%2Flogos%2Fsouth_carolina.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Cal State Northridge
Cal State Northridge Pushes Past Ole Miss 6-2
2/6/2004 | Softball
Feb. 6, 2004
Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz. - Cal State Northridge (1-0) used two key innings, plating two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, to push past Ole Miss 6-2 in the opening game of the Arizona Pepsi Classic on Friday.
The Rebels (0-1) will continue play later Friday, facing off with host school and second-ranked Arizona at 6 p.m. CST.
DeDe Justice led the Rebels at the plate, hitting 2-for-3, including a solo home run in the fourth inning to get the Rebels on the board. It would not be enough for the Rebels to get the win, as five errors proved to be too much for Ole Miss to overcome.
"We gave them too many opportunities, and when you give a good team opportunities like that, they'll make you pay," said Ole Miss head coach Candi Letts. "We didn't do what we needed to do. We have a tough challenge this weekend, but we have already learned a lot. We came to play and to win, and we'll have to play to our abililty to do that."
Cal State Northridge got on the board first as Lovell doubled to the gap in left center, driving in Fennell. Fennell reached base with a double down the left-field line before Lovell would drive her home to plate the first run of the game for the Matadors. The Rebels would recover as Hovestreydt would ground out to third and Brill would strike out Zakosek to end the inning.
The Matadors added to the lead in the fourth inning, plating two runs in a wild inning. Unable to convert on three straight fielder's choices, the Rebels loaded the bases with one out. Northridge's Hillstrom, who pinch ran for Lovell, plated a run off a throwing error from short to home. Justice recovered at home and capitalized on a running error by Northridge's Menefee to record the second out at the plate as Menefee tried to score.
The Matadors got the second run of the fourth inning off another throwing error on a fielder's choice from short to first. The error allowed Hovestreydt to score, but another running error got the Rebels out of the inning as Ole Miss recorded the out at third when Zakosek tried to advance from third to home on the error.
The Rebels got on the board in the fourth inning as DeDe Justice took the first pitch and sent it over the left field wall for her first home run of the season.
"For DeDe to come into the first game of the season against an All-Conference and All-Region pitcher like Kia Fennell and hit a home run is a huge statement," Letts said. "We have to do that from the start. Our hitting came around, but we need to me more aggressive at the plate."
The Matadors returned the favor in the fifth, as Bedwell homered off the first pitch over the right field wall pushing the Northridge lead to 4-1. Northridge added the second run of the inning as Milchiker scored off a Lovell double to left center. Brill got the Rebels out of the inning striking out the next two batters.
Northridge added another run in the sixth, as a throwing error to home allowed Zakosek to score from second.
The Rebels added the second run of the day in the bottom of the sixth. Justice singled up the middle to get on base for the Rebels. Andrea Brahs reached first and Justice advanced to third on an error by the second baseman. Justice then scored on the play, as Desiree Layman reached on a fielder's choice to second base. Brahs was out at second. The Rebels would not score again in the inning.
Ole Miss would hold off the Matadors in the seventh, but come short of a rally of its own in the bottom half of the inning.
Dana Brill, who went all seven innings for the Rebels, suffered the loss while striking out eight batters and walking only four. Brill allowed only three earned runs.
Kia Fennell, an All-Big West selection and All-Region pitcher from a season ago for Cal State Northridge, recorded the win as she turned in seven innings of work for the Matadors, striking out 11 batters and allowing only one earned run.
