Softball Drops Final Weekend Contest To UT-Arlington

HOUSTON, Texas Starting seven freshmen for the third time in the first five games of the 2007 season, the Ole Miss softball team (1-4) dropped its final contest of the Wilson DeMarini Invitational to Texas-Arlington (2-3) by an 8-2 count.

The Rebels struggled to capitalize on five hits and seven walks as they left 10 runners stranded on base in the contest.

Freshman right-hander Becky Nye (0-2) struggled to find the strike zone in her second collegiate start, giving up five walks, two hits and four runs with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings pitched. Junior lefty Tara Willitt relieved Nye and went 4.0 innings with seven hits and four runs allowed.

Texas-Arlington starter Cara Hulme (2-1) and reliever Heather Fortenberry combined for two runs allowed on five hits and three strikeouts.

Freshman shortstop Ashley Dowdy notched a base hit in her fifth straight game to begin her collegiate career, going 1-for-4 on the day. Four other Rebels got a base hit on the afternoon.

For the first time this season Ole Miss gave up the first runs of the game when the Mavericks' Dee Jay Nelson sent a two-run home run over the centerfield wall to put the Rebels in a 2-0 hole in the first inning.

Ole Miss threatened to score in the top of the second after back-to-back singles by freshman catcher Amber Tramp and Dowdy to lead off the frame. The next two Rebel batters, junior DP Lauren Rowe and freshman left fielder Alyssa McGovern, each drilled line drives that were caught by the Maverick shortstop and third baseman, respectively. Freshman centerfielder Courtnie Ghinaudo grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.

UT-Arlington extended its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third with an RBI single by Courtni Anderson, whose hit just missed the outstretched arms of Ghinaudo in center, and an RBI double by April Clougherty down the right field line.

In the fourth inning Rowe moved into sole possession of second place on the Ole Miss home run chart with her 12^th career long ball to pull the Rebels within three. Ole Miss made it 4-2 when freshman right fielder Emily Sarver singled through the right side to score McGovern, who had walked earlier, from second.

Maverick relief pitcher Fortenberry's three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth gave UTA a 7-2 advantage. Centerfielder Kristin Moore's sixth-inning long ball pushed the final margin to six runs.

Ole Miss will return to the diamond next weekend when the team travels to the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational in Lafayette, La.

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Team Stats

Emily Sarver

Conchos L

Amber Tramp

Ashley Dowdy

The University of Mississippi Athletics