The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
36-20
Missouri
37-18
Rebels Fall in Extras at Mizzou, 3-2
5/7/2017 | Softball
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Despite leading for half the game, No. 21 Ole Miss gave up two runs late and fell on the wrong end of a walk-off, 3-2 in nine innings Sunday in the series finale with Missouri.
Ole Miss (36-18, 10-14 SEC) took a 2-0 lead in the fourth, but the Tigers (29-25, 7-16 SEC) cut the lead in half in the fourth, before tying it up, 2-2, in the seventh thanks to a solo home run. An error ultimately ended the game as the winning run scored from third with the bases loaded.
Junior Elantra Cox was the highlight as she went 2-for-4 to become the school's single-season hits leader (77). She also stole a base, putting her two steals from the career record. She was the only Rebel to finish with a multi-hit game, as five other players added one each.
In the circle, junior RHP Kaitlin Lee got the unfortunate loss after she went the full 8.2 innings, but allowed only two earned runs off six hits. She struck out a career high eight Missouri hitters, and walked only one.
The Rebels had multiple chances in the first three innings, stranding six runners in scoring position in innings one through three. Ole Miss loaded the bases in the first and couldn't score, before also leaving one at second in the second, and stranding two more in the third.
But, the fourth led to the first runs of the afternoon for Ole Miss thanks to three hits and a couple ground balls on the infield. Kaylee Horton led it off with a double that glanced off the third baseman's glove, before Paige McKinney reached on an infield hit. From there, Cox put down a bunt single to load the bases, before Kylan Becker grounded to third, and the force throw home was high allowing both Horton and McKinney to score to put the Rebels in front 2-0.
The Tigers got a run back in their half of the fourth when Anna Reed lifted a 2-out double to left-center, scoring a run from an earlier bloop single cutting the score to 2-1.
After a couple of quiet frames on either side in the fifth and sixth, Ole Miss headed into the home half of the seventh with a 2-1 advantage, before Reed came up again and tied it up, 2-2, off a solo shot to right-center field.
The Rebels led off the eighth threatening with a pair of runners as Stancil singled and McKinney drew a walk, but a popup to center ended any threat. They again threatened in the ninth when Cox led off with a single back up the middle, and stole second, before Sarah Van Schaik drew a walk and Ashton Lampton put a good ride on one to deep center, but the center fielder tracked it down to again end the top half.
Mizzou began the home half with a leadoff infield single, before a grounder went to Lee in the circle, she threw to second, but no one was there to cover and both runners were safe. She came back to get a strikeout and line drive back to her, before walking the bases loaded. That's when Kolby Romaine stepped in and grounded to third, when Stancil couldn't handle it allowing the run to score for the walk-off.
Quick Hits
- Junior OF Elantra Cox tallied her 23rd multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4, to break the school's single-season hits record with 77 hits this season. She also stole a base in the loss and is now just two steals from the career record.
- Junior RHP Kaitlin Lee threw her 19th complete game on Sunday, putting her seventh-most of any player in a single season. She also struck out a career-high eight batters and walked only one.
On Deck
Ole Miss opens play in the SEC Tournament as the No. 8 Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. against No. 9 seed Mississippi State in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kaitlin Lee (17-10)
L: Strother, Miranda (9-4)
Batting:
HR: Lampton, Ashton 1
RBI: Lampton, Ashton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lampton, Ashton 1
Batting:
RBI: Sarah Van Schaik 1 ; Miranda Strother 1
SH: Dylinn Stancil 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elantra Cox 1 ; Grayce Majam 1
SB: Ashton Lampton 1 ; Kaylee Horton 1 ; Paige McKinney 1 ; Miranda Strother 1
HBP: Kaylee Horton 1 ; Courtney Syrett 1
