The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
22-18, 2-9
Kentucky
24-9-1, 7-4
Softball Drops Tight Battle With No. 15 Kentucky
4/8/2023 | Softball
Tate Whitley Registers 200th Career Hit
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss softball scored in four different innings but couldn't slow down the Wildcat offense as No. 15 Kentucky clinched the series with a 7-5 victory Saturday night.
The Rebels (22-18, 2-9 SEC) edged the Wildcats (24-9-1, 7-4 SEC) in hits but couldn't string them together with runners on, stranding five in scoring position. Tate Whitley had a nice day at the plate, collecting two hits, including the 200th of her Rebel career in her first at-bat of the night. Aynslie Furbush also recorded multiple hits and was a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4.
Kentucky punched first, scoring a pair in the first inning. A leadoff single and a walk turned into the first two runs of the game on an RBI double. Sparks was able to minimize the damage with a strikeout to end the frame. She continued to keep the Wildcats off the board in the second with the help of her defense as the Rebels turned their 21st double play of the season.
After stranding two runners in scoring position in the first, the Ole Miss got on the board with a solo home run from Furbush. The junior cut the deficit in half with one swing, blasting her fourth homer of the season the opposite way.
The Wildcats scratched two more runs across in the third. With two outs and a pair in scoring position, UK plated a run on a wild pitch walk. They added one more on an infield single back to the pitcher. Makenna Kliethermes took over in the circle to start the fourth inning, working around two base runners to keep Kentucky off the board. She carried the momentum in the fifth, retiring the side in order.
Ole Miss had a chance to climb back into the game in the fourth with runners on and one out. Mikayla Allee was hit by a pitch, and Keila Kamoku singled, but Kentucky struck out the next two batters to escape the inning. In the fifth, Paige Smith got one back, crushing a solo home run to center field to pull the Rebels back within two.
Unfortunately, Kentucky responded with two runs in the sixth to make it 6-2. The Rebels continued to fight as Furbush doubled and scored on a pinch-hit RBI single from Brooke Barnard in the bottom of the sixth. Rallying in the seventh, Furbush continued her impressive day with a two-run single to bring the tying run to the plate; however, a ground out ended the game and gave Kentucky a 7-5 victory.
The Rebels and Wildcats wrap up the series Sunday at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can catch the game on national television on ESPN2.
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 @olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alexia Lacatena (9-3)
L: Sparks, Grace (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Grace Lorsung 1
HR: Grace Lorsung 1
RBI: Grace Lorsung 3 ; Hallie Mitchell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kayla Kowalik 1 ; Erin Coffel 2 ; Kennedy Sullivan 1 ; Grace Lorsung 1 ; Meeko Harrison 1 ; Rylea Smith 1
SB: Hallie Mitchell 1 ; Meeko Harrison 1
HBP: Meeko Harrison 1
Batting:
2B: Furbush, Aynslie 1
HR: Smith, Paige 1 ; Furbush, Aynslie 1
RBI: Smith, Paige 1 ; Furbush, Aynslie 3 ; Barnard, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sikes, Savana 1 ; Smith, Paige 1 ; Malvin, Taylor 1 ; Furbush, Aynslie 1 ; Grisham, Tenly 1
HBP: Sikes, Savana 1 ; Allee, Mikayla 1
