The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
18-3
Penn State
8-10
Rebels Sweep Saturday Games in Red & Blue Classic
3/5/2016 | Softball
Game One - Ole Miss 1, UMASS 0
Box Score | Final Stats
Game Two - Ole Miss 7, Penn State 6
Box Score | Final Stats
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss softball team capped a Friday sweep with a walk-off win against Penn State, 7-6, moving to 4-0 on the weekend in the Red & Blue Classic.
The Rebels (18-3) sent a freshman to the circle in Krista Jacobs in game one, and she earned the win after Ole Miss scratched a late-game run across to top UMASS.
In game two, the Rebels and Nittany Lions traded runs, but late-inning heroics from the Rebel offense kept the win streak alive for the Red and Blue.
See below for full recaps from both contests.
Game One - Ole Miss 1, UMASS 0
Jacobs entered the game with just two thirds of an inning pitched on the season, but shined in the circle for the Rebels. She went six innings, not allowing a Minutewomen hit until the fourth inning, and earned the win with just three hits allowed and one strikeout.
She handed the ball off to senior Madi Osias in the seventh, who closed the door for the save becoming the Rebels' all-time saves leader with seven in her career.
Despite a nine-hit performance from the offense, the Rebels scratched just one run across off a single in the fifth inning. Hailey Lunderman led off the inning with a bunt single, and after she moved to third on back-to-back groundouts, Dakota Matiko pushed her across with an infield, RBI single for the lone run of the contest.
Sophomore Grayce Majam paced the way for the offense going 3-for-3, while Lunderman went 2-for-3 at the plate. UMASS' Taylor Carbone went the distance in the circle giving up nine hits and the one Rebel run.
Game Two - Ole Miss 7, Penn State 6
Game two saw a much different result as the Nittany Lions chased the Rebels' starter Elisha Jahnke in the second inning.
Penn State struck early and took a 1-0 lead off an RBI single, but the Rebels tied it right back after Lunderman scored on an error by the second baseman.
After a two-run second from Penn State, the Rebels cut the deficit by a run when Lunderman singled back to the shortstop scoring Kylan Becker.
In their next chance at the plate, the Rebels tied it up off Matiko's RBI groundout that scored Ashton Lampton.
From there, the Rebels took what looked to be a comfortable 6-3 lead in the sixth off Haley Culley's two-RBI single up the middle.
Penn State kept the game alive in the seventh when Alyssa VanDerveer hit a three-run bomb over the left field wall.
The Rebels responded though, as Courtney Syrett led off with a walk. After Paige McKinney pinch ran for her at first, she stole second, then moved to third on a throwing error. Matiko followed with a walk, then Bry Castro reached on a fielder's choice bunt to setup the bases loaded with no outs.
After two infield popups, sophomore pinch hitter Alex Schneider shot a long fly ball to deep center field scoring McKinney for the walk-off, keeping the undefeated weekend alive in the Rebels' second and final home tournament.
Lunderman went 2-for-4 in the contest, while Culley's two RBI led the way for the offense. Jahnke gave up six hits in 1.1 innings pitched, while Osias entered in relief earning the win to move to 9-1 on the year.
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 (9-1)
L: Seifert, Madison (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Miller, Shelby 1
HR: VanDerveer, Alyssa 1
RBI: Jones, Macy 1 ; Sorenson, Mollie 1 ; VanDerveer, Alyssa 4
SH: Ziegler, Rebecca 1 ; Good, Shannon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Macy 1 ; Sorenson, Mollie 1 ; Miller, Shelby 1 ; VanDerveer, Alyssa 1 ; Polk, Toni 1 ; Ziegler, Rebecca 1
Batting:
RBI: Schneider, Alex 1 ; Lunderman, Hailey 1 ; Matiko, Dakota 1 ; Culley, Haley 2
SH: Cox, Elantra 1 ; Syrett, Courtney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lunderman, Hailey 1 ; Lampton, Ashton 1 ; McKinney, Paige 1 ; Castro, Bry 1 ; Becker, Kylan 2 ; Culley, Haley 1
SB: Lunderman, Hailey 1 ; Strother, Miranda 1 ; Lampton, Ashton 1 ; McKinney, Paige 1 ; Becker, Kylan 3 ; Culley, Haley 1
HBP: Becker, Kylan 1
