The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
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Mississippi State
Rebels Take 2-0 Shutout Win Over Mississippi State
4/14/2005 | Softball
April 14, 2005
Box Score
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Ole Miss (25-19, 5-11 SEC) used a complete-game shutout from Mary Jane Callahan and timely hitting at the plate to push to a 2-0 win over in-state rival Mississippi State (26-22, 6-13 SEC) on Thursday night.
The single-game on the road was the first in a three game series for the two squads that will be played at three different sites throughout the season. It was also the first win for the Rebels in Starkville since the 2000 season.
Mary Jane Callahan (10-9) picked up the win as she pitched her fifth complete-game shutout of the season. Callahan struck out five and walked none as she allowed only four hits on the night.
Kelli Miller (9-8) suffered the loss for Mississippi State as she gave up one run on one hit in only 1.0 inning of work. Miller struck out none and walked two before being replaced by Stephanie Comeaux with a runner on in the second inning. Comeaux then worked 6.0 innings, striking out six and walking two while allowing five hits and one run on the night.
"We did a good job of coming out relaxed and just playing our game tonight," said Ole Miss head coach Candi Letts. "Our girls played a tough schedule early and are tested and are eager to play ball and see what they can do. We had no pressure tonight, we just wanted to play and see what we could make happen. That got us a win tonight against a solid offensive ball club in Mississippi State."
A leadoff walk to Callahan got things started for the Rebels in the first inning before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Brooke Turner. A single to center from DeDe Justice moved Callahan to third. Justice moved to second on a grounder to first from Chloe Kloezeman, but Callahan was unable to come home. The Rebels got the run across a batter later when Courtney Bures muffed a grounder from Brittany Warner to allow her to reach safely and Callahan to score to put Ole Miss up 1-0.
Lauren Rowe led off the second inning with a walk before forcing a pitching change from the Bulldogs as Stephanie Comeaux came in to relieve Kelli Miller. Rowe moved to second on a ground out to third from Kayla Mosley. Callahan reached on a throwing error from short that pulled the first baseman off the bag, but Rowe was thrown out at home from by the first baseman as she tried to score from second.
The Bulldogs got the first base runner of the game in the second inning with a throwing error from short to put Mississippi State's Callye Williams on first, but a groundout to first from Katie Johnson ended the inning.
Justice got a single up the middle with one out on the board in the third inning, before moving to second on a single to left from Kloezeman. The Rebels then loaded the bases with one out on a bunt single from Warner down the third base line. Ole Miss was unable to capitalize as the next two batters struck out and popped up, respectively.
The first hit for the Bulldogs came in the fourth inning when Tanelda McDonald blooped a hit to centerfield to reach with a single and two outs in the inning. The inning ended a batter later with a grounder to second.
A leadoff walk in the fifth for Turner started the Rebels on the right track, but Ole Miss could do nothing with it as Turner was left on first as the Bulldogs retired the next three batters.
Mississippi State led off the fifth with a single up the middle, but Williams was removed from the base path at second on a grounder to second from Johnson who reached on a fielder's choice. Johnson then advanced to second on a single from Blair Geddings. Sara Hickerson then came in to pinch hit for Nakita Boyce with runners at first and second. Both runners advanced as Hickerson grounded out to short.
Geddings notched a single up the middle with one out in the sixth, but was out at second on a fielder's choice to shortstop from McDonald. Jessup reached on a fielding error at short when Kloezeman called McIntire off a pop fly, but missed the catch as she couldn't get the ball around McIntire. Ole Miss' Callahan then struck out Williams to end the inning.
With one out in the seventh, Callahan reached with a single up the inning to get things started for Ole Miss. She then moved to second on a sac bunt from Turner, her second of the night. The Bulldogs then intentionally walked Justice with two outs to put runners at first and second. Kloezeman then got her second hit of the night with a single to left to score Callahan from second and put Ole Miss up 2-0.
The Rebels then retired all three batters in the seventh to claim the Ole Miss win. It was Ole Miss' first win in the series since the 2003 season.
The Rebels and Bulldogs will resume the three-game series in a week when Mississippi State comes to Oxford for a single game, the second in the series.
Ole Miss will continue to play on the road this weekend with a three-game set against the LSU Tigers. The Rebels and Tigers will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday and conclude the series at noon on Sunday.
