The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
Rebels Drop Slugfest At No. 1 Alabama
3/17/2012 | Softball
March 17, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Ole Miss got home runs from freshman Allison Brown and senior Cali Overbeck and scored a school record for runs in a game against Alabama, but dropped a slugfest 10-7 to the top-ranked Crimson Tide on Saturday at Rhoads Stadium.
Trailing 9-2 in the top of the fifth, Rebel shortstop Allison Brown cut into the Tide lead with a two-run, opposite-field home run to right that scored RT Cantillo and put Ole Miss down just 9-4. The long ball was Brown's third on the season and gave her a team-best 25 RBI for the year.
After a Marina Parra walk and Dallas Hardin was hit by a pitch later in the frame, third baseman Cali Overbeck smashed a towering three-run shot deep over the wall in left that cut the Tide lead to 9-7. It was Overbeck's fourth homer of the season and fourth in her last five games. It was also the 16th long ball of her career, which moves her into fourth on the Ole Miss career list.
The seven runs scored against the top-ranked Crimson Tide marked the most runs Ole Miss has scored in game versus Alabama in school history.
Ole Miss (13-11, 2-2 SEC) took an early lead over No. 1 Alabama in the top of the first after leadoff batter Corrine Doornberg was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After an Amanda Hutcheson fly out, Doornberg stole third and then scored on a Cantillo single to right that put the Rebels up 1-0. Cantillo finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks and an RBI.
Alabama (24-0, 5-0 SEC) center fielder Jennifer Fenton responded for the Tide in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run to left that tied the game at one. Shortstop Kaila Hunt added a sac fly later in the inning that gave Alabama a 2-1 lead.
The Rebels took advantage of a two-out fielding error by Hunt in the top of the second to tie the game at two. Freshman right fielder Dallas Hardin earned a one-out walk and then moved to second after Doornberg's two-out ground ball went between Hunt's legs. Hutcheson then blooped a single infront of left fielder Kayla Braud that plated Hardin and tied the game at two.
The Crimson Tide struck back again in the bottom of the second with five runs highlighted by a three-run home run to center from designated player Amanda Locke. Alabama tacked on two more runs in the third on RBI singles by second baseman Danae Hays and third baseman Courtney Conley.
Alabama scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch of Locke by Erinn Jayjohn in the fifth and had the bases loaded with two down when Hunt sent a fly ball deep to center field, but RT Cantillo's leaping catch over the wall in center saved the grand slam and ended the Crimson Tide threat.
Kendall Bruning (11-4) took the loss for Ole Miss after giving up seven runs, all earned, on seven hits in 2.0 innings of work. Jayjohn entered in relief in the third and pitched the final 4.0 innings allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits with a strikeout. She allowed just one hit and one run over the final three innings.
The Rebels and the Crimson Tide will conclude their three-game series tomorrow at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.
