The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
18-2
Bowling Green
10-12
No. 22 Ole Miss Tops Bowling Green 8-1
3/9/2017 | Softball
Box Score | Tournament Central
OXFORD, Miss. - Behind four RBI from Ashton Lampton, a four-hit performance from Elantra Cox, and a stellar outing from Morgan Bruce, No. 22 Ole Miss softball topped Bowling Green, 8-1, Thursday night in game one of the Ole Miss Classic.
With the victory, the Rebels (18-2) extend their win streak to 15 games, further extending the school record. Cox, who increased season average to .597 (eighth in NCAA), went 4-for-4 at the plate, her third four-hit game of the season. Lampton had a 2-RBI single in the third, and 2-run shot in the fourth, while Miranda Strother (two RBI), Kylan Becker (one RBI), and Brittany Finney (one RBI) all finished with the other runs driven in.
In the circle, Bruce improved to 5-0 after allowing just two hits and no runs in four innings, while Elisha Jahnke worked the final three frames with one unearned run allowed.
At the plate, Ole Miss used a 5-run third and 3-run fourth to put away the Falcons (10-12), while their lone run came in the fifth extending the game to the full seven innings.
In the first, Cox took the first pitch back up the middle for one of her four hits on the night, extending her hitting streak to 13 games, tying the school record. Lampton also reached on a single to left-center, but a fly to center ended the first.
Two innings later, the Rebels sent all nine hitters to the plate, led by Kaylee Horton, who began the rally with a single through the left side. Cox then put down a textbook bunt single, before Becker reached on an error to load the bases. Lampton then delivered a pair of runs with her 2-RBI single back up the middle, before Alyssa Gonzalez walked. Strother then followed with a 2-RBI single of her own, which increased the advantage to 4-0. Finney made it 5-0 off an RBI single down the right field line, capping what was Ole Miss' 11th time this season scoring at least five runs in an inning.
After Bruce responded in the circle with her first 1-2-3 frame of the night in the fourth, the Rebels plated three more. Cox punched a single to right field to make it 3-for-3 and stole second, before Becker drove her in with an RBI single to center making it a 6-0 lead. From there, Lampton blasted her team-leading fifth home run of the season to center, putting the Rebels on top 8-0.
Elisha Jahnke then entered in the circle, and after Bowling Green got a 2-out walk, a wild pitch moved the runner to second, before the lone run was scored on a single and error at shortstop, capping the scoring for the evening at 8-1.
Jahnke went on to retire the final seven hitters in order, totaling two strikeouts in the relief outing with just the one unearned run allowed.
At the plate, Paige McKinney and Kaylee Horton finished with a hit each, while the top three spots in the order accounted for eight of the hits and six of the runs scored.
Quick Hits
- Ole Miss extended its school record win streak to 15 games.
- With the nation's third-ranked offense coming in, the Rebels recorded their 14th 8-run game of the season.
- Freshman Morgan Bruce was once again sensational in the circle, improving to 5-0 with just two hits allowed in four innings. She still has yet to allow an earned run in her five starts, and has given up only five earned runs all season, all in relief work.
- Junior Elantra Cox continued her dominance at the plate going 4-for-4 for the second time this season (third 4-hit game), and also scored a pair of runs. Cox extended her hitting streak to 13 games, tying the Ole Miss school record set by Miranda Strother (2015) and Brittany Broome (2013).
- Sophomore Ashton Lampton went yard for the fifth time this season, a team high, and tied her career high in hits (three) and RBI (four).
- With the 12 hits in the victory, the Rebels recorded their 10th game this season with double digit hits.
On Deck
The Rebels continue action in the Ole Miss Classic Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Eastern Kentucky.
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 (5-0)
L: PARKER, Brooke (1-5)
Base Running:
RUNS: SORGI, Alex 1
Batting:
HR: Lampton, Ashton 1
RBI: Becker, Kylan 1 ; Lampton, Ashton 4 ; Strother, Miranda 2 ; Finney, Brittany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cox, Elantra 2 ; Becker, Kylan 2 ; Lampton, Ashton 2 ; Strother, Miranda 1 ; Horton, Kaylee 1
SB: Cox, Elantra 1 ; McKinney, Paige 1
