The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
26-26, 7-18
Kentucky
30-23, 12-14
Ole Miss Falls To Kentucky
5/8/2010 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss Rebel softball team dropped both games of a double header to the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. The Rebels fell to the Wildcats 2-0 in game one before losing the second game 4-2.
The Wildcats grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one after shortstop Molly Johnson doubled to right to lead off the game and moved to third on a bunt single by second baseman Natalie Smith. Johnson then scored on an RBI fielder's choice from Samantha DeMartine to give Kentucky the first run of the game.
Kentucky added another run in the fourth on an RBI single down the left field line by right fielder Destinee Mordecai that gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
The Rebels loaded the bases with one out in the fifth after Ashley Dowdy doubled off the wall in left center, Alise Doubt looped a single into left and Kentucky intentionally walked shortstop Lauren Grill. The Wildcats then pulled starting pitcher Chanda Bell in favor of Rachel Reilly, who got Brittany Barnhill to ground into a fielder's choice and catcher Amber Tramp to ground out to third to strand all three runners.
Becky Nye suffered the complete-game loss after allowing just two runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings of work. She struck out two and issued only one walk.
The Rebels and the Wildcats will conclude their series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. Sunday will also be 'Senior Day', as the 2010 Ole Miss senior class - Alise Doubt, Ashley Dowdy, Courtnie Ghinaudo, Lauren Grill, Alyssa McGovern, Becky Nye, Aly Presswood and Amber Tramp - will be honored before the game.
Game Two
Senior Lauren Grill hit a solo homer and Brittany Barnhill struck out six in 5.2 innings, but it wasn't enough as the Rebels fell 4-2 to Kentucky in the second game on Saturday.
Kentucky took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out, bases-loaded single to center by Wildcat center fielder Meagan Aull. The Wildcats still had the bases loaded after Aull's single, but Ole Miss starting pitcher Lindsey Perry struck out Destinee Mordecai looking to strand all three runners.
Grill answered back for Ole Miss in the bottom of the first with a line-drive, solo home run to left field. It was Grill's team-leading eighth homer of the season and tied the game at one after one.
The Wildcats added three runs in the second inning to retake the lead at 4-1. Shortstop Molly Johnson smashed an RBI double, while second baseman Natalie Smith and catcher Megan Yocke both added RBI singles.
Rebel right fielder Alyssa McGovern knocked an RBI single up the middle in the second that cut the Wildcat lead to 4-2. McGovern's two-out base hit scored Courtnie Ghinaudo and sent Cali Overbeck to third, but McGovern was thrown out at second to end the inning trying to advance on a throw.
That would be all the scoring for the game, as both staffs pitched shutouts the rest of the way. Barnhill went the final 5.2 innings in relief of Perry and allowed only two hits, while striking out six.
Catcher Amber Tramp was hit by a pitch twice in the double header to give her 23 for the season, which breaks the single-season SEC record of 21 she shared with former Auburn Tiger Myesha Finney.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bell (17-12)
L: Nye, Becky (7-11)
S: Riley (1)
Batting:
2B: Johnson 1
RBI: DeMartine 1 ; Mordecai 1
SH: Aull 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson 1 ; Cervantes 1
SB: Johnson 1 ; Smith 1
CS: Young 1
Batting:
2B: Dowdy, Ashley 1
SH: Overbeck, Cali 1
Base Running:
HBP: Tramp, Amber 2
