Softball To Host No. 13 LSU In SEC Opener

March 10, 2006

OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss Rebels will look to extend a two-game winning streak when they host the 13th-ranked LSU Tigers this weekend in the Southeastern Conference opening series for both teams, at the newly renovated Ole Miss Softball Complex.

Saturday's doubleheader will start with a 3 p.m. contest, followed by a 5 p.m. game. Fans are encouraged to take part in the "Grand Opening Party" festivities for the new-look stadium, featuring free pizzas by Three Guys Pizza of Oxford. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children, while Ole Miss students receive free admission by showing their Ole Miss ID.

"Opening SEC play with LSU is going to be an extremely tough test for us," said first-year Rebel head coach Missy Dickerson. "They have a very talented team, and we are excited to have them at our place. I am looking forward to a lot of fans coming out to support the Rebels in the official grand opening of our stadium."

The Rebels and Tigers will close out the series with a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday.

Ole Miss improved to 7-14 on Wednesday with a doubleheader sweep of Southeastern Louisiana, including an 8-2 win and 6-0 shutout victory. The first game featured 10 hits by the Rebels, including two-hit performances by Lisa Conchos, Jessica Plemons and Kayla Mosley.

The nightcap featured a pitcher's duel between Ole Miss starter Dana Brill and Lady Lion Jessica Sander before the Rebels scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break the game open. Brill allowed just three hits and struck out three in the complete-game shutout. It was the Rebels' third shutout victory of the season.

Conchos, a freshman infielder from Phoenix, Ariz., continues to lead the Rebels with a .371 batting average, while also ranking tops on the team with 12 runs scored and seven multi-hit performances.

Junior lefty Mary Jane Callahan and Brill, a senior, give the Rebels a one-two punch in the circle. Callahan has a 2.00 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched, while Brill leads the staff with a 1.44 ERA.

LSU is 21-3 so far in 2006. The Tigers' losses have come to No. 3 UCLA, No. 11 Oregon State and No. 6 Stanford, while they have taken a pair of games each from No. 11 Washington and No. 10 Oklahoma.

The Tigers lead the SEC with a .355 team batting average, led by sophomore second baseman Vanessa Soto's .483 average. Soto also leads the club with nine doubles (1st-SEC) and 26 RBI (1st-SEC), while she, Stephanie Hill and Lauren Castle each have hit three home runs.

LSU's pitching staff has a combined 0.75 ERA (2nd-SEC). Sophomore Megan Jolly has a perfect 0.00 ERA in 23 1/3 innings pitched, while freshman Dani Hofer is the team's workhorse with 70 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings. Hofer and Emily Turner each have a team-high six wins.

Ole Miss will be looking to improve on its 2-29 all-time record against the Tigers. The last Rebel win came back in 1999. LSU won three close decisions last year in Baton Rouge, 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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