The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
41-21
Wichita State
36-21
Ole Miss Survives and Advances in NCAA Regional
5/21/2016 | Softball
Box Score | Final Stats | Postgame Press Conference
NORMAN, Okla. - Senior Madi Osias and the Rebel softball team refused to see their season come to an end, as Ole Miss shut out Wichita State, 4-0, Saturday night in an elimination game at Marita Hynes Field in the NCAA Softball Norman Regional.
With the win, the Rebels improve to 41-21 on the year and advance to play No. 3 Oklahoma again Sunday afternoon. The Rebels will need two wins against the Sooners to win the regional, in what will be a 3:30 p.m. CT first pitch in game six of the weekend. The if necessary game seven is slated for a 6 p.m. start time.
Osias, working her 29th start of the year, put together a dominating effort in the circle, allowing just two Shocker hits and just two walks in what was her eighth complete game in her last 10 outings. The complete game performance was her 12th of 2016 and 14th start allowing just one earned run or less.
At one point in the game she retired 12 straight Wichita State batters as she only allowed four baserunners all game.
On the offensive side, it was Ashton Lampton and Miranda Strother who led the way piling on to their already impressive weekend, both going 2-for-3. Lampton drove in one, while Strother had two RBI in the victory.
The Rebels' scoring frames came in the fourth and fifth thanks to a fifth that saw Ole Miss bat around and take the game-winning lead over the Shockers.
Hailey Lunderman got the fourth started after a leadoff infield single, before advancing on a Lampton sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. She went on to score on one of two infield RBI singles from Strother, putting the Rebels up 1-0 through four.
An inning later, the Rebels put together a 3-run fifth thanks to an all-around effort from hitters one through nine. Dakota Matiko reached first on a hit by pitch, as did Grayce Majam, before Elantra Cox moved the runners on a sacrifice bunt. After Haley Culley pinch ran for Matiko, Lunderman walked bringing up Lampton who shot an RBI single to right putting Ole Miss in front 2-0.
Sarah Van Schaik then got another RBI in the regional off a walk, before Wichita State brought in a reliever in Katie Malone. That's when Strother put down her second infield single that scored Lunderman, before the Rebels left the bases loaded to cap the scoring frame.
As a team the Rebels posted seven hits off the two Shocker pitchers, led by two from Strother and Lampton, and one each from Lunderman, Van Schaik and Kylan Becker. Lunderman scored two of the four runs, while she, Van Schaik and Strother also drew one walk apiece.
The victory over the Shockers was the first since the 1997 campaign for Ole Miss, as they now lead the short series 2-1.
On Deck
Ole Miss will face No. 3 Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. CT Sunday in a must-win contest to force the regional final, game seven of the weekend.
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 (23-9)
L: Brooks, Jenni (18-7)
Batting:
RBI: Lampton, Ashton 1 ; Schaik, Sarah 1 ; Strother, Miranda 2
SH: Cox, Elantra 1 ; Lampton, Ashton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lunderman, Hailey 2 ; Culley, Haley 1 ; Majam, Grayce 1
HBP: Matiko, Dakota 1 ; Majam, Grayce 1
Batting:
2B: Derrico, Laurie Anne 1
Base Running:
CS: Williams, Cacy 1
PO: Hitz, Macklin 1
