The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, May 21
Tucson, Ariz.
5 PM
Ole Miss
35-20
5
vs
1
Villanova
36-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Villanova
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
Ole Miss
0
0
1
3
1
0
X
5
9
0
Softball Beats Villanova 5-1, Advances to Winner’s Bracket
5/21/2021 | Softball
Rebels Open NCAA Tucson Regional with a Win
TUCSON, Ariz. – After falling behind early, Ole Miss (35-20) battled right back in its NCAA Tucson Regional opener, taking down Villanova (36-14) at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium to advance to the winner's bracket.
Anna Borgen picked up the win in the circle, holding the Wildcats to three hits and one earned run, striking out three along the way in six innings of work. Ava Tillmann came on for the final frame, facing the minimum despite allowing one hit.
After a pair of scoreless innings for both sides, Villanova struck first, stringing together three-straight singles to go ahead 1-0. However, Ole Miss struck right back as Autumn Gillespie smoked a single the other way and came around to score on Abbey Latham's RBI double down the left field line.
The Rebs kept the pressure going in the fourth, putting together a two-out rally to take the lead. With the bases loaded, Paige Smith dropped a single into left, bringing home Blaise Biringer and Mikayla Allee to push Ole Miss ahead. Gillespie came through shortly after with her third hit of the game, plating Tate Whitley to make it 4-1 after four.
Ole Miss tacked on a run of insurance in the fifth, with Sydney Gutierrez drawing a leadoff walk and pinch runner Kelsha Loftin eventually coming home on a passed ball. Up four, Tillmann came in for the seventh and closed things out in order, aided by a game-ending double play.
Quick Hits
• Ole Miss has never lost its first game of an NCAA Regional, having one the opening game in all five appearances in program history.
• Autumn Gillespie went 3-for-4 at the plate, setting a new season high for hits and matching her career high for the fourth time.
• Playing in her home state and the city she competed in in high school, freshman Blaise Biringer registered a pair of hits and a run in her first NCAA Tournament game.
Up Next
Ole Miss advances into the winner's bracked of the NCAA Tucson Regional and will play the winner of the Arizona vs. UMBC game at 4 p.m. CT. TV/streaming information for the game is TBD.
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. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
Anna Borgen picked up the win in the circle, holding the Wildcats to three hits and one earned run, striking out three along the way in six innings of work. Ava Tillmann came on for the final frame, facing the minimum despite allowing one hit.
After a pair of scoreless innings for both sides, Villanova struck first, stringing together three-straight singles to go ahead 1-0. However, Ole Miss struck right back as Autumn Gillespie smoked a single the other way and came around to score on Abbey Latham's RBI double down the left field line.
The Rebs kept the pressure going in the fourth, putting together a two-out rally to take the lead. With the bases loaded, Paige Smith dropped a single into left, bringing home Blaise Biringer and Mikayla Allee to push Ole Miss ahead. Gillespie came through shortly after with her third hit of the game, plating Tate Whitley to make it 4-1 after four.
Ole Miss tacked on a run of insurance in the fifth, with Sydney Gutierrez drawing a leadoff walk and pinch runner Kelsha Loftin eventually coming home on a passed ball. Up four, Tillmann came in for the seventh and closed things out in order, aided by a game-ending double play.
Quick Hits
• Ole Miss has never lost its first game of an NCAA Regional, having one the opening game in all five appearances in program history.
• Autumn Gillespie went 3-for-4 at the plate, setting a new season high for hits and matching her career high for the fourth time.
• Playing in her home state and the city she competed in in high school, freshman Blaise Biringer registered a pair of hits and a run in her first NCAA Tournament game.
Up Next
Ole Miss advances into the winner's bracked of the NCAA Tucson Regional and will play the winner of the Arizona vs. UMBC game at 4 p.m. CT. TV/streaming information for the game is TBD.
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. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Borgen, Anna (12-7)
L: Paige Rauch (20-4)
Batting:
RBI: Paige Rauch 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sydney Hayes 1
HBP: Paige Rauch 1
Batting:
2B: Gillespie, Autumn 1 ; Latham, Abbey 1
RBI: Smith, Paige 2 ; Gillespie, Autumn 1 ; Latham, Abbey 1
SH: Alvarez, Gabby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gillespie, Autumn 1 ; Loftin, Kelsha 1 ; Biringer, Blaise 1 ; Allee, Mikayla 1 ; Whitley, Tate 1
SB: Keester, Macey 1
HBP: Puk, Jessica 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
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