The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
16-4
Saint Louis
3-10
Softball Picks Up Run Rule Victories Over Saint Louis and WKU
3/5/2022 | Softball
Rebels Move to 4-0 on the Weekend at the Ole Miss Classic
OXFORD, Miss. – Paige Smith and the Rebel offense exploded on day two of the Ole Miss Classic as the Rebels picked up run-rule victories over Saint Louis, 8-0, and Western Kentucky, 10-2, on Saturday.
Smith called game, driving in the walk-off runs as Ole Miss combined for 18 runs on 21 hits over the span of both contests.
GAME ONE | OLE MISS 8, SAINT LOUIS 0
A dominant pitching performance from Aynslie Furbush and some hot hitting led Ole Miss to an 8-0 run-rule victory over Saint Louis. Furbush went 6.0 innings, only allowing three hits and four Billikens to reach base.
Tate Whitley continued to be one of the top leadoff batters in the nation, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Sydney Gutierrez and Bre Roper also notched multi-hit games at the plate.
The Rebels applied pressure early, scoring in each of the first three innings. Back-to-back doubles to start the game from Whitley and Roper set the tone as Ole Miss grabbed the lead and never looked back.
Ole Miss loaded the bases in the second inning for Whitley after three walks. She helped the Rebels tack on another run with a sacrifice fly as Angelina DeLeon tagged up to score. Gutierrez drove in a run with an RBI double to center in the third and came around to score on a ground out, making it a 4-0 game.
Furbush cruised in the circle, only allowing runners to reach base in two innings while the offense continued to threaten. Saint Louis out a pair of runners on in the top half of the sixth, but the right-hander got a pair of flyouts to end the inning. The Rebels used a sixth-inning surge to score four more runs to cap off the victory. After loading the bases, a pair of runs came home on a throwing error. Gutierrez followed it up with an RBI single, and Smith walked it off with a sacrifice fly, bringing the run-rule into effect.
GAME TWO | OLE MISS 10, WKU 2
After a quiet first inning, Abbey Latham woke up the offense as Ole Miss picked up its second victory of the day in run-rule fashion, topping WKU 10-2.
Brooke Vestal got the nod in the circle for the second straight night against the Hilltoppers, throwing 4.0 solid innings and surrendering two unearned runs. Freshman Catelyn Riley came in to close things out, retiring the final six batters of the game.
Latham's solo shot sparked a three-run second inning for the Rebels. After she blasted the 31st home run of her career, Smith singled to start a two-out rally. Nyomi Jones tripled to center field over the shift to drive in Smith and scored as Whitley knocked a single through the left side.
The Rebels proceeded to bat through the order in the third inning and extend the lead to seven. With two runners on, Smith smacked an RBI double off the wall in center. She later came around to score on a double from DeLeon in the gap. The Hilltoppers managed to scrape together a few outs, but not before Roper could add another on an RBI single.
Western Kentucky responded with two unearned runs in the fourth and threatened again in the fifth, loading the bases. Catelyn Riley came in with no outs and recorded three straight outs, including a big swing and a miss to end the inning.
Searching for another late-game walk-off, Whitley singled up the middle and raced around the bases to score on another double from Roper. Latham eventually earned a two-out walk and moved into scoring position with Roper on a wild pitch. Smith then called game for the second time on the day with a double to right, plating the final two runs.
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: Vestal, Brooke (3-0)
L: Katie GARDNER (3-1)
Batting:
RBI: Taylor DAVIS 1 ; Abby NEWMAN 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brylee HAGE 1 ; Maddie BOWLDS 1
SB: TJ WEBSTER 1
HBP: Jordan RIDGE 1
Batting:
2B: Roper, Bre 1 ; Smith, Paige 2 ; DeLeon, Angelina 1
3B: Jones, Nyomi 1
HR: Latham, Abbey 1
RBI: Whitley, Tate 1 ; Roper, Bre 2 ; Latham, Abbey 1 ; Smith, Paige 3 ; DeLeon, Angelina 1 ; Jones, Nyomi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitley, Tate 1 ; Roper, Bre 1 ; Barnard, Brooke 1 ; Latham, Abbey 3 ; Smith, Paige 2 ; DeLeon, Angelina 1 ; Jones, Nyomi 1
SB: Roper, Bre 1 ; Jones, Nyomi 1
HBP: Gutierrez, Sydney 1
