The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
15-11, 1-6
#15 Alabama
21-7, 2-2
Early Lead Disappears Quickly for Rebel Softball at Alabama
3/23/2018 | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Ole Miss got off to a strong start in Friday night's game at Alabama, taking a lead after the top of the first. However, from there things quickly turned as the Crimson Tide scored 13 unanswered runs to defeat the Rebels in a five-inning affair at Rhoads Stadium.
Ole Miss (15-11, 1-6 SEC) was limited to four hits in the affair, while Alabama (21-7, 2-2 SEC) registered 13 base knocks. Both teams were charged with a pair of errors.
Freshman Ava Tillmann made the start for the Rebs, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits in two innings. Brittany Finney entered in relief and surrendered five runs on three hits in 1.1 frames, while Elisha Jahnke was charged with three runs on four hits in 0.2 innings of work.
The Rebels got off to a hot start, with the first four batters reaching. Elantra Cox and Kaylee Horton led off with singles and Celeste Wood followed with a walk. Autumn Gillespie followed by lifting a fly ball to right field and Tide outfielder Kaylee Tow was unable to hang onto it, allowing Cox to score on the error. With one run on the board, Alabama was able to get three pop outs to limit the damage.
The Crimson Tide knotted the score at a run apiece in the bottom half, with power hitter Bailey Hemphill lifting a home run to right field after Tillmann retired the first two batters in quick succession.
Alabama took the lead in the third thanks to a pair of costly errors by the Rebels. After Tillmann's throw to first on a comebacker sailed high, Gillespie air-mailed her throw to first on a bunt single, sending the ball all the way to the wall and allowing both runners to come all the way around.
The Tide kept rally going, with the next three batters reaching via a single, walk and another single, scoring another Alabama run. A sacrifice fly scored another run to make it 5-1 heading to the fourth. Alabama would add eight runs in the fourth to blow the game open at 13-1.
Ole Miss loaded the bases in the fifth but was unable to score any runs to avoid the run rule. The Rebels and Crimson Tide will return to Rhoads Stadium Saturday for game two of the series at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network +
Quick Hits
- The 13 runs allowed by Ole Miss are the most for the Rebels since surrendering 14 to Auburn on March 14, 2015.
-Kaylee Horton went 1-for-2 at the plate to extend her hitting streak to four games, the highest streak for the sophomore this season.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Courtney Gettins (9-2)
L: Tillmann, Ava (1-1)
Batting:
RBI: Gillespie, Autumn 1
SF: Gillespie, Autumn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cox, Elantra 1
HBP: Gillespie, Autumn 1
Batting:
2B: Merris Schroder 1 ; Claire Jenkins 1
3B: Elissa Brown 1
HR: Bailey Hemphill 1 ; Sydney Booker 1
RBI: Elissa Brown 1 ; Bailey Hemphill 1 ; Gabby Callaway 2 ; Merris Schroder 1 ; Demi Turner 2 ; Reagan Dykes 1 ; Sydney Booker 3
SF: Demi Turner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elissa Brown 2 ; Kaylee Tow 1 ; Rachel Bobo 1 ; Bailey Hemphill 2 ; Gabby Callaway 1 ; Merris Schroder 1 ; Demi Turner 1 ; Reagan Dykes 1 ; Sydney Booker 1 ; Claire Jenkins 2
