The University of Mississippi Athletics
Softball Slated for Midweek at Memphis Tuesday
3/21/2016 | Softball
Game 32
Ole Miss (24-7, 2-4 SEC) at Memphis (16-15, 0-0 AAC)
Date: March 22, 2016
First Pitch: 6 p.m.
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Venue: Tiger Softball Complex
Capacity: 275
Dimensions: L-200, C-220, R-200
Watch: Memphis Tiger Network
Series: Ole Miss leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: March 3, 2015
Ole Miss won, 8-0 (5)
Oxford, Miss.
Live stats: GoTigersGo.com
Twitter Updates: @OleMissSoftball
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss continues its six-game road swing Tuesday night with a midweek contest at Memphis.
- Despite less than an hour distance between the two schools, the two programs have only met three times prior with Ole Miss leading the series, 2-1. The Rebels took two games from the Tigers last season, 8-0 (5 innings) and 8-2.
- Tuesday's game puts the Rebels on the road for the fifth time in the last six days, which comes before a four-day road trip to Oklahoma that will cap a stretch of nine days out of 10 on the road in the two weeks combined.
- With the first release of the NCAA RPI Monday, the Rebels checked in at No. 29, highest in recorded history.
- Ole Miss is coming off a 1-2 weekend at No. 13 Kentucky, the second-straight against a top-25 team.
- Tuesday's contest marks the first of two meetings with Memphis this season, as the Tigers will pay the return visit to Oxford April 19.
- It took the Rebels just 30 games to break the previous school record for stolen bases, as the Rebels now have 95 on the year in 110 attempts, a mark that ranks first in the NCAA.
- With 24 wins entering Tuesday, the Rebels have already matched or surpassed 11 of the program's previous season's win totals (2014, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1997).
- Freshman Hailey Lunderman is still on pace to shatter the Ole Miss single-season batting average record, hitting .446 on the season, sixth-best in the SEC, and is third in the league in hits with 45. She is also third in the league in at-bats (101), and has struck out just twice all year.
- The Rebels were perfect in the field over the weekend at No. 13 Kentucky, not committing an error, and have just 19 on the year for a .978 fielding percentage that ranks third in the SEC and eighth nationally.
- Junior Courtney Syrett finished with a slugging percentage of 1.500 after hitting two home runs and two doubles at No. 13 Kentucky. Her 3-run blast Friday gave the Rebels a 3-1 win in the opener, before she went on to double twice and homer again Sunday in the finale.
- The Ole Miss pitching staff ranks sixth in the league and 16th nationally in ERA (2.13), led by senior Madi Osias' 13-2 record in the circle and ERA of 2.62. Sophomore Elisha Jahnke is 5-3 on the year with a 1.82 ERA.
SCOUTING REPORT
Memphis heads into the midweek matchup 16-15 on the year in the midst of an eight-game homestand. The Tigers were picked sixth among seven schools in the 2016 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Head coach Natalie Poole, a McNeese State graduate, is in her fifth season at the helm of the Tigers and boasts a record of 102-155 in her five seasons.
The Tigers will be playing just their seventh home game of the season on Tuesday after tournament play the first five weekends. Memphis opened the year 1-4 at the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament picking up a win over the host Eagles, before going winless out in Tempe, Ariz. at the Arizona State Tournament. The Tigers fared 4-1 a week later at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic earning wins over two SWAC schools (Jackson State, Mississippi Valley) and a victory over Nicholls State. After opening the home slate 2-0, the Tigers again went winless in Baton Rouge, La. at LSU's tournament, before winning 10 of their last 11 heading into Tuesday's game.
As a team the Tigers are hitting .292 through 31 games, highlighted by Brooke Lee's .361 clip. Lindsey Stickrod's 23 RBI pace the way for the offense, while she and Lee both have four home runs to lead the squad. The Tigers have been aggressive on the base paths thus far with 55 stolen bases in 67 attempts, while the defense has faltered with a fielding percentage of .946 (47 errors) thus far.
The Tigers maintain a team ERA of 4.39 in 197 innings, led by Molly Smith's 4-6 record and 3.00 ERA. She's started 11 games and thrown 70 innings with an opposing batting average of .277. Bayleigh Wisher is second on the club in innings pitched with 42.1, and boasts a 4.46 ERA with a 4-1 record in five starts.
ON DECK
Following the midweek matchup at Memphis, the Rebels trek to the state of Oklahoma Wednesday for a Friday doubleheader at Oklahoma State.
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.
