Rebels Drop Slugfest With South Carolina

April 26, 2015

OXFORD, Miss. -- Alyssa Invergo tallied a career-high four RBI as the Rebels rallied once to tie the game, but couldn't find a second answering rally as Ole Miss (29-21, 6-15 SEC) fell to South Carolina (34-18, 8-13 SEC) in a slugfest on Sunday afternoon.

After falling behind early, the Rebels chipped away at the Gamecock lead to tie the game in the fourth inning, but South Carolina used three home runs over the next two innings to take a lead Ole Miss couldn't overcome.

Madi Osias (11-13) took the loss after allowing 10 runs - nine of them earned - on nine hits with five walks and two strikeouts through 5.2 innings of work.

Nickie Blue (17-7) picked up the win in relief for the Gamecocks, allowing five runs -- four earned -- on 10 hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

"What a great ball game today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Smith. "Our team is a resilient bunch and we just keep trying to find ways to battle back. Madi (Osias) was a warrior for us in the circle and the numbers don't really reflect how well she pitched for us this week.

"We didn't get to execute our game plan when Kayla Landwehrmier was hit by a line-drive foul ball in early in the game," Smith said. "We didn't use her much last night because our plan was to bring her in today if we could keep it close, but that changed everything. The difference today was really that first inning when we gave up the three runs and had to battle from behind the whole afternoon."

South Carolina got off to a quick start in the game, bringing home three runs in the first inning. A one-out triple was followed by an RBI single to get the first run home before a walk would put two on base. Lauren Masters then hit a double to the wall in centerfield that would have been a home run, but sophomore Miranda Strother reached over the fence and brought the ball back into the park. Strother wasn't able to hold onto the ball as she leaped at the fence and it fell in for the two-RBI double.

Ole Miss cut into the lead in the second inning with the first of two, two-RBI singles from Invergo that left the Rebels down 3-2 and back in the ball game.

South Carolina got one run back in the top of the fourth, only to see Invergo again drive in two runs with another single in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at four.

The Gamecocks then used two home runs in the fifth inning to push the lead out to 7-4 and belted out a three-run shot in the sixth inning to give the visiting team a 10-4 advantage before the Rebels would get out of the inning.

Ole Miss wasn't done, however, mounting an answering rally in the bottom of the sixth.

Three consecutive singles opened the inning and brought the first of three runs home for the Rebels. A walk then loaded the bases again before Elantra Cox would deliver a two-RBI single up the middle that cut the lead to 10-7. South Carolina would then use a fielder's choice and a double play on a ground ball to second and a throw out at the plate to get out of the inning and keep the three-run lead.

Ole Miss couldn't mount another answering rally in the seventh as the Gamecocks grabbed the win in the series finale.

The Rebels return to action on Wednesday evening, traveling to face Mississippi Valley State in a single game before closing out the regular season on the road at No. 25 Texas A&M next weekend.

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Team Stats

Alyssa Invergo

Elantra Cox

Allison Brown

Haley Culley

Players Mentioned

Elantra Cox

Alyssa Invergo

Kayla Landwehrmier

Madi Osias

Miranda Strother

The University of Mississippi Athletics