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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Softball Set to Play in Paradise
2/14/2018 | Softball
Ole Miss Game Notes â€" PuertoVallarta College Challenge
Games 4-7
Dates: Feb. 15-17, 2018
First Pitch (All Times CT): Thur.: 8 p.m.; Fri.: 2 p.m.; Sat.: 11 a.m./8 p.m.
Opponents: Texas, Houston, Rutgers, No. 3/3 Oregon
Location: Puerto Vallarta, Nancy Almaraz Stadium
TV: SportsLive
Live stats: OleMissSports.com
Twitter Updates: @OleMissSoftball
LEADING OFF
• Ole Miss is making its first-ever trip outside the United states for softball, with the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge hosting the first collegiate fastpitch games in NCAA-history to be played outside the US in 2015.
- The Rebels enter the season ranked in both national polls, being slotted No. 15 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the USA Softball Poll.
- The Rebels are coming off of a 3-1 weekend in the rain-shortened Sand Dollar Classic. Ole Miss opened the classic with wins over Virginia Tech and Florida A&M before splitting contests with Lamar and Lipscomb the next day.
- Ole Miss head coach Mike Smith has never lost to any of the Rebels' four opponents this weekend. Smith has never faced Texas, Rutgers or Oregon and came out on top in his only previous meeting in 2017 when Ole Miss topped the Cougars 12-4.
- Texas is 2-2 on the year after hosting the Texas Classic. The Longhorns earned wins over Incarnate Word and Wisconsin and fell to Colorado State and the Badgers.
- Houston enter the challenge at 3-1, earning victories over Texas Tech (twice) and Boston College and falling to Texas A&M at the Aggie Classic.
- Rutgers started off 2-3 at the Titan Classic, dropping contests to UC-Riverside, Cal State Fullerton and Pittsburgh and taking down Middle Tennessee State and Utah State.
- Oregon is coming off of a perfect 6-0 start at the Kajikawa Classic, dropping No. 25 Georgia, Fresno State, CSUN, Missouri, UTEP and New Mexico.
SCOUTING REPORT
- The Longhorns enter the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with a 2-2 record after splitting their games as host of the Texas Classic. UT earned victories over Incarnate Word and Wisconsin to start off the event before dropping its last two contests against Colorado State and the Badgers. In the midst of the 22nd season under head coach Connie Clark, the Longhorns are led offensively by freshman Janae Jefferson, who started all four games for UT this past weekend, posting a .500 batting average with three doublds, a triple and five RBIs. In the circle, senior Paige von Sprecken garnered the win in her lone start, registering a 0.91 ERA in two appearances and striking out seven in 7.2 innings of work. Junior Brooke Bolinger was the recipient of the Longhorns' other win. She has posted a 3.23 ERA in 8.2 innings of work, striking out 13 to just four walks.
- Houston tallied a 3-1 record to kick off the season at the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. The Cougars defeated Texas Tech twice and Boston College once at the tournament, falling to No. 6 Texas A&M for their lone defeat. UH head coach Kristin Vesely is in her second season at the helm of the program, having guided the Cougars to a 30-25 record a season ago. Infielder Mariah Garcia has been red hot to start the season, batting .636 with four runs scored, one double, one triple, one home run and seven RBIs. Infielder Sarah Queen has also gotten off to a quick start with a .417 batting average. On the hump, Savannah Heebner is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA, tallying a 4-4 strikeout-to-walk-ratio in her nine innings. Trystan Melancon has put up a 1-1 record with a 2.77 ERA in 13.0 innings of work, fanning nine and allowing just two free passes.
- The Scarlet Knights are in the 12th year of the Jay Nelson era and enter the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with a 2-3 record, falling to UC-Riverside, Cal State Fullerton and Pittsburgh and earning wins over Middle Tennessee State and Utah State. Infielder Rebecca Hall has carried the load for Rutgers offensively with a .438 batting average, three doubles, a triple and a homer. Hall has driven in six runs and also scored four herself. Whitney Jones has pitched 15 innings in the circle, garnering a 1-1 record with a 2.33 ERA and a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk-ratio.
- Ranked No. 3 in both polls, Oregon is 6-0 following the Kajikawa Classic, defeating No. 25 Georgia, Fresno State, CSUN, Missouri, UTEP and New Mexico, winning five of those games via the run rule. The Ducks are in the ninth season under head coach Mike White, who boasts a .779 winning percentage at the school. After the first week of the season, the Ducks have five players batting .500 or better, led by Mary Iakopo's .692 average. Alexis Mack isn't too far behind at .609, while Shannon Rhodes has driven in nine runs and hammered three home runs. Gwen Svekis leads the Ducks with five homers and 12 RBIs, while Louisiana transfer DJ Sanders has hit four long balls and driven in 11 runs. In the circle, Miranda Elisha hasn't allowed a run in her 10.1 frames, striking out 20 batters with just one walk. Megan Kleist is 2-0, putting up a 3.18 ERA with nine strikeouts in 11 innings, while Maggie Balint has struck out 14 in 10.2 innings, registering a 3.28 ERA.
COX APPROACHING HISTORY
It's gotten to the point where it's if, not when senior outfielder Elantra Cox becomes Ole Miss' all-time hits queen. The Henderson, Tennessee native is just three hits away from breaking the school record for career base knocks, entering the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with 221 hits. The impending milestone should come as no surprise to Rebel fans, who watched the lightning-quick slapper lead the entire country in hits a season ago with 93, a school-record in its own right.
HEADING SOUTH OF THE BORDER
For the first-time in program history, Ole Miss will play softball outside the borders of the United States. In fact, the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge hosted the first fastpitch games in NCAA history to be played outside the US in 2015. However, while staying within the US the Rebels have travelled much further from their home base in Oxford. Ole Miss took part in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic in Honolulu Hawaii in 2016, some 4,195 miles from the Ole Miss campus. The games played in Honolulu are the furthest south that Ole Miss has ever played, which will change Thursday when the Rebels take on Texas in Puerto Vallarta.
EIGHT FRESHMAN DEBUT FOR OLE MISS
During the first weekend of the season, eight players made their first-ever appearance in a Rebel uniform, with six players making their college debut. Transfers Autumn Gillespie and Celeste Wood both started all four games, while freshmen Ally Mena and junior college transfer Izzy Werdann appeared in all four games. Amanda Roth made two starts at the hot corner for the Rebels, while Jessica Puk saw action in three of the four contests as a reserve. After sitting out the 2017 season due to an injury in the preseason, Gabby Alvarez finally got to make her Ole Miss debut as a pinch hitter. Meanwhile, freshman lefty Anna Borgen appeared in two games in the circle, making her first start against Lamar.
ON DECK
After spending a few days in the sun south of the border, Ole Miss will return to Oxford to host back-to-back tournaments at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, beginning with the Red & Blue Classic. The Rebels will welcome North Dakota State, SIU-Edwardsville, Stephen F. Austin and UMKC for the classic, set for Feb. 23-25.
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 softball and all of Ole Miss athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
