Rebels To Host Fifth Annual Rebel-Easton Invitational Over Weekend

Feb. 11, 2005

OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss softball team returns home a solid opening weekend on the road to host the Fifth Annual Rebel/Easton Invitational this weekend. The Rebels (3-2) hope to take a winning performance on the road and continue it at home over the weekend.

Ole Miss will be face-off with Illinois State, Ball State, Southern Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe in the tournament. Also participating in the event, but not facing the Rebels are Tennessee-Martin and Southern Miss.

"We're excited about the opportunity to build on what we feel was a successful opening weekend," said Ole Miss head coach Candi Letts. "Everyone is excited about the chance to play at home in front of our fans and show them what we can do this season. We play some good teams and expect some really great games out here."

Ole Miss and Illinois State will face off in the first game of the day for both teams, but the second game of the day at the Ole Miss Softball Complex on Saturday at noon. The Redbirds of Illinois State enter the Rebel/Easton Classic with a 3-2 record on the season after opening the year at the Diamond Fun & Sun Classic. Illinois State beat SEC teams Auburn and Kentucky, but fell to Florida International and No. 22 South Florida.

Lauren Bierwirth leads the Redbirds at the plate with a .438 average through five games. She has seven hits, including a double and an RBI. Kate Stake is the most productive Redbird when it comes to hits in critical moments, driving in three runs with a .313 average. Shannon Nicholson has been the go-to pitcher for Illinois State this season with a 2-2 record, but a 1.03 ERA. Nicholson has worked 25.2 innings, striking out 18 batters while walking eight batters. She has allowed 12 runs, four of them earned.

Ole Miss and Illinois State have faced off once before, with the Rebels claiming a 7-3 win at the Fresno State Invitational on March 12, 2000.

Ball State will open the 2005 season with its appearance at the Rebel/Easton Classic this weekend. The Cardinals from Indiana are one of two teams the Rebels play this weekend who have not played a game entering the weekend.

Taylor Yancey is the top returner for the Cardinals as she hit .290 in the 2004 campaign. She drove in 18 runs on the season and hit two home runs. Quincy Duran and Randi Freese both return to lead the pitching staff. The duo posted a combined record of 11-25 in 2004 with 2.90 and 3.17 ERAs, respectively.

The Cardinals hit .229 for the year in 2004 while allowing opponents to hit at a .289 clip. The Ball State pitching staff hurled a 3.51 ERA for the season while opponents pitched their way to a 1.65 ERA against the Cardinals.

Southern Illinois will be making its second appearance in Oxford in as many years with the 2005 Rebel/Easton Invitational. The 2005 season opened with the Salukis ranked No. 23 in the nation, but the squad fell from the polls without playing a game in the opening weekend. Southern Illinois now sits right outside the ESPN poll at the 27th spot, while staying at 23rd in the ASA poll.

Southern Illinois posted a 45-17 record in the 2004 season. Katie Jordan is the top returnee for the Salukis at the plate, as Jordan hit .285 for the season, driving in 45 runs and hitting 11 home runs. Amy Harre, a senior, returns to lead the pitching staff for the Cardinals. Harre tossed a 0.80 ERA last season while posting a 21-7 record. She struck out 178 batters and walked 49 in 210.0 innings of work.

The Indians of Louisiana Monroe will be playing for the second consecutive weekend at the Rebel/Easton Classic, after a midweek series with Southern Miss was cancelled earlier in the week. ULM opened the season at the Getterman Classic in Waco, Texas. The Indians defeated Centenary twice and No. 22 Illinois once, before falling to Baylor twice and No. 22 Illinois in the second game.

Ole Miss and Illinois State will play at noon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex on Saturday. The first game of the day at the Ole Miss Softball Complex will feature Southern Miss and Tennessee-Martin at 9:30 a.m.

The first game of the day at the Airport Field will feature Ball State and Southern Illinois

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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