The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
11-3
Stephen F. Austin
4-8
Rebels Sweep Day One of Ole Miss Classic
2/26/2016 | Softball
Game One - Ole Miss 5, Northern Iowa 0
Box Score | Final Stats
Game Two - Ole Miss 4, Stephen F. Austin 2
Box Score | Final StatsPhoto Gallery
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss softball pitching staff allowed just a six combined hits to lead the Rebels past Northern Iowa, 5-0, and Stephen F. Austin, 4-2, Friday in the Ole Miss Classic at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
The Rebels (11-3) pitched their third shutout of 2016 in the home opener behind Alyssa Clayton's dominating performance, and came back in game two to defeat Stephen F. Austin in another stellar pitching effort from Madi Osias.
As a unit the three pitchers of Osias, Clayton and Elisha Jahnke combined to allow just six hits and hold opposing hitters to a .125 clip on the day. They struck out 15 batters, allowed just two earned runs and maintained a 1.00 ERA in day one of the tournament.
Junior Miranda Strother led the offense on the day with a .667 average. She drove in five runs off four hits overall, one triple and one double and also stole three bases.
Ole Miss returns to action in day two of the Ole Miss Classic Saturday beginning at 1:30 vs. UTSA, who is 0-2 in the tournament.
See below for full recaps on both of Friday's games.
Game One - Ole Miss 5, Northern Iowa 0
Clayton pitched another gem in the circle allowing only three hits in the full seven innings of work for the Rebels.
The Rebel offense did its job too, though, posting eight hits on the day led by two from Elantra Cox. Miranda Strother went 1-for-2 on the day with two RBI, while Dakota Matiko and Hailey Lunderman also added an RBI.
Ole Miss got it going in the fourth when Matiko singled to right driving home Strother to make it 1-0. Strother kept it rolling an inning later with an infield RBI single pushing home Cox, before Strother scored after a Panther error.
The Rebels added two more runs in the sixth off bases loaded walks when Lunderman and Strother both collected an RBI off the base on balls, scoring Courtney Syrett and Matiko, respectively.
Clayton worked a career-high eight strikeouts in the circle and walked just three with three hits allowed. Northern Iowa's Chelsea Ross was tagged with the loss after giving up four earned runs, five walks and eight hits in her six innings of work.
Game Two - Ole Miss 4, Stephen F. Austin 2
Strother continued her impressive day at the plate in game two against Stephen F. Austin, driving in three runs off three hits. As a team the Rebels posted seven hits in the victory.
Alex Schneider was responsible for the first RBI of the game, driving in Lampton off a bunt to give the Rebels a 1-0 advantage.
Strother went on to drive in the final runs of the game when she pushed Lunderman across on a triple to right-center field, before doubling down the left-field line bringing home Lunderman and Cox. Stephen F. Austin would score its two runs off a two-run home run in the sixth, the Rebels' only runs allowed on the day.
Osias worked a dominating performance in the circle also allowing just three hits and two walks in her six frames. She struck out five moving to 5-1 on the season. Sophomore Elisha Jahnke got the Rebels' first save of the season after striking out two in her one inning of work.
For all Ole Miss Softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Osias, Madi (5-1)
L: Sikes, Makayla (4-2)
S: Jahnke, Elisha (1)
Batting:
HR: Lewis, Brittany 1
RBI: Lewis, Brittany 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Chambers, Courtney 1 ; Lewis, Brittany 1
HBP: Chambers, Courtney 1
Batting:
2B: Strother, Miranda 1
3B: Strother, Miranda 1
RBI: Strother, Miranda 3 ; Schneider, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cox, Elantra 1 ; Lunderman, Hailey 2 ; Lampton, Ashton 1
SB: Cox, Elantra 2 ; Lunderman, Hailey 1 ; Strother, Miranda 1 ; Lampton, Ashton 1
HBP: Syrett, Courtney 1
