Nye Shuts Out No. 12 LSU, Ole Miss Takes Series

BATON ROUGE, La. Becky Nye turned in a dominating pitching performance to help the Ole Miss Rebels take the series-deciding game against the No.12-ranked LSU Tigers by a score of 2-0 on Sunday at Tiger Park. It is the Rebels’ first-ever series win against the Tigers.

Nye pitched 7.0 innings of shut-out ball against the Tigers. The sophomore from McKinney, Texas allowed only four hits and did not issue a walk. She struck out two LSU batters and retired 14 of the last 16 batters she faced. The shut out was Nye’s third of the season, second in her career versus an SEC opponent and first-ever against a top-25 squad.

Nye picked up both wins over the Tigers over the weekend. She pitched back-to-back complete-game victories in the second and third games of the series. In the three games against the Tigers, Nye pitched 17.2 innings and only allowed two earned runs. She struck out seven batters and issued only four walks.

“We knew we would have to adjust our offense today, because they would pitch around Lauren Grill,” said Ole Miss head coach Missy Dickerson. “We needed people to step up and we got a key sac fly and a key home run from Michelle May. Becky was just amazing today. You couldn’t ask for a better performance. It is nice to beat LSU, but I am more excited that we got two wins, because we needed them to get back in the hunt.”

With the series win, Ole Miss moves to 19-24 and 3-17 in the SEC. After starting 0-15 in conference play the Rebels are 3-2 in their last five SEC games. LSU moves to 32-11 on the year and 11-8 in SEC play.

Courtnie Ghinaudo reached on a throwing error by Tiger third baseman Erika Sluss and moved to second on a wild pitch by LSU starting pitcher Dani Hofer in the third. Hofer then intentionally walked Grill and issued a full-count walk to Lisa Conchos to load the bases with one out. Ashley Dowdy hit a sac fly to deep center to drive in Ghinaudo for the Rebels’ first run. Grill was thrown out at third trying to advance on the sac fly.

Michelle May hit a two-out solo home run just inside the left field foul pole to give the Rebels 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth. It was May’s third home run of the season, which ranks second on the Rebel squad.

In the Tiger fourth, Killian Roessner doubled to left with one out, but Nye settled in and retired the next two batters on a line out and a ground out to strand the runner in scoring position. It was the only runner Nye would allow past first base in the game.

Lauren Rowe doubled to left center with one out in the Ole Miss fifth and Grill was intentionally walked again with two down in the inning. However, Conchos fouled out to the LSU third baseman to strand Rowe and Grill.

Hofer (18-6) pitched 7.0 innings in the loss for LSU. She allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked four.

Next up, Ole Miss travels to Knoxville to face the No.10-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols for double header on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m. The Rebels and Lady Vols faced each other earlier this season in a non-conference tournament with Tennessee winning the game 2-0.

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Team Stats

Courtnie Ghinaudo

Lisa Conchos

Michelle May

Lauren Rowe

The University of Mississippi Athletics