The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
11-2
Stetson
10-2
Rebel Softball Sweeps Saturday Action in Florida
2/25/2017 | Softball
Game One - Ole Miss 8, Colgate 2
Box Score | Photo Gallery
Game Two - Ole Miss 3, Stetson 0
Box Score
DELAND, Fla. - Ole Miss softball pushed its win streak to eight games, topping Colgate, 8-2, and Stetson, 3-0, Saturday in the second day of the Hatter Invitational.
The offense was the highlight in game one as the Rebels (11-2) strung together nine hits and eight runs, while freshman pitcher Morgan Bruce shined in the circle in game two shutting out the host Hatters (10-2).
Overall, the Ole Miss pitching staff finished the day giving up only two runs, and struck out 10 opposing hitters in the two victories. See below for a full recap from both games.
Game One Recap
In the rematch with the Raiders (1-6), sophomore Brittany Finney made her second start in the circle, going five innings earning the win to move to 2-0. She allowed seven hits, two earned runs, walked one, and struck out a career high six in the victory.
Ole Miss jumped on Colgate early, posting a 3-run first and 3-run third, while adding single runs in the second and fifth frames. Elantra Cox, who finished 4-for-4 at the plate, led off the frame with an infield, stole second, and then scored on a triple from Kylan Becker giving the Rebels a 1-0 lead.
After the triple, Ashton Lampton walked and also stole second, before Alyssa Gonzalez walked to load the bases for Miranda Strother, who rolled a fielder's choice to shortstop for the first out. Finney then also walked to drive in Lampton, before Courtney Syrett lifted a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Gonzalez making it 3-0.
The Raiders got a runner aboard in the second off a double to right-center, but Finney worked three strikeouts to maintain the advantage. The lead moved to 4-0 a half inning later when Cox reached on a two-out single and moved to third on an error, before Becker drove her in off a single to shallow right.
Colgate got a run back in the third when Katie Bushee lifted a leadoff home run, cutting the score to 4-1. The Raiders followed with another hit, but Lampton rolled a double play on the bag at second base to get Finney out of the frame.
In the home half, Gonzalez punched a one-out double to right-center field, before Strother reached on a hit by pitch and both moved up on a wild pitch. Finney helped herself out with an RBI groundout to short, before Syrett drove her in off a 2-run blast, her first home run of the season, increasing the lead to 7-1.
The Raiders again scratched another run across to lead off the fourth when Pami White hit a solo shot, but that would cap the scoring for the visitors on the afternoon.
The Rebels went on to add their eighth and final run in the fifth when Gonzalez went yard for the first time in her career, a solo shot to left, putting Ole Miss in front by six, 8-2.
Kaitlin Lee took over in the circle to begin the sixth, and went on to allow just one hit while striking out two in two frames of work.
Cox finished the game 4-for-4, tying her career high, and also scored two runs. Becker and Gonzalez also added a pair of hits each, as Syrett finished with a team-high three RBI off the home run and sac fly. Gonzalez, who played the full seven innings at first, scored a career-high three runs in the victory.
Game Two Recap
Game two featured a pitchers' duel early on, as freshman Morgan Bruce dominated in her third start, moving to 3-0 on the year. She didn't allow a Stetson hit until the fifth inning, and finished the game with just three hits allowed overall.
The Hatters put two runners in scoring position in the second after a lead off error and a walk, but Bruce worked a strikeout, groundout and line drive to Becker in right escaping the jam to leave runners at second and third.
Offensively, the Rebels broke through in the fourth for the only runs of the afternoon. Cox led off with a single through the right side for the first hit of the day, and moved to second on a steal. After Becker reached on a single to left, she also stole to set up two on for Lampton.
The sophomore then ripped a 2-RBI double through the right side scoring Cox and Becker, giving Ole Miss a 2-0 advantage. Finney eventually reached on an error at second scoring Bry Castro, who pinch ran for Lampton.
From there, Bruce controlled the rest of the way, allowing only three hits the rest of the way. At the plate, six different Rebels tallied a hit, as Lampton's two RBI led the way.
Quick Hits
- In the 8-2 win over Colgate, sophomore RHP Brittany Finney improved to 2-0 in the circle going five innings with just two runs allowed off seven hits, and a career-high six strikeouts.
- Junior OF Elantra Cox finished 4-for-4 against the Raiders, tying her career high in hits; it also marked the first time since April 2016 that a Rebel tallied four hits, when Cox also did it against Mississippi State.
- Freshman 1B Alyssa Gonzalez hit the first home run of her young career against the Raiders, and finished with three runs scored, a career high.
- Sophomore SS Ashton Lampton clubbed her ninth extra-base hit of the season, a 2-RBI double, in game two to finish with two RBI against the Hatters.
- Freshman RHP Morgan Bruce shined in the circle against Stetson, going the distance with just three hits allowed and no runs.
- Overall on the day, Cox finished with a .714 average and three stolen bases, while Becker, Syrett and Gonzalez all produced a multi-hit day.
On Deck
The Rebels close out play in the Hatter Invitational Sunday at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT vs. No. 23 South Florida.
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: Bruce, Morgan (3-0)
L: PERKINS, Tori (6-2)
Batting:
2B: Lampton, Ashton 1
RBI: Lampton, Ashton 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Cox, Elantra 1 ; Becker, Kylan 1 ; Castro, Bry 1
SB: Cox, Elantra 1 ; Becker, Kylan 1
CS: Strother, Miranda 1
