The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
UT Martin
Softball Set for Midweek Doubleheader with UT Martin
4/2/2024 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss softball rounds out an eight-game homestand on Wednesday, April 3, with a midweek doubleheader against UT Martin.
QUICK HITS
• Ole Miss leads the all-time series with UT Martin 16-4, winning each of the last eight meetings dating back to 2017.
• The Rebels will honor 13 professors on Wednesday night before game two of the doubleheader for faculty and staff appreciation night.
• Lexie brady leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the nation with 11 runners caught stealing on the basepaths.
• After turning three double plays over the weekend against No. 22 South Carolina, the Rebels rank fourth in the conference with 0.47 double plays per game.
• Jalia Lassiter leads the team and ranks fifth in the SEC with 42 hits so far this season.
• Fifth-year senior Paige Smith is making a run at the Ole Miss RBI crown. She ranks second all-time in the record books with 154 career RBI, only trailing former teammate Abbey Latham (167, 2018-22).
• Ole Miss' coaching staff features three new faces. Daniel Nicolaisen, Karl Gollan and DJ Sanders all join the Rebels for their first season in Oxford.
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
Riding back-to-back series victories in OVC play, UT Martin enters the midweek doubleheader with a 19-14 overall record. However, the Skyhawks have yet to play an SEC or power five opponent this season. Offensively, Kaci Fuller leads UT Martin with a blistering .418 mark at the plate and 46 hits. She is one of five Skyhawks hitting over .300 on the year, while the team boasts a .296 average. In the circle, Brooklynn Linneman has a 6-3 record to go along with a 1.47 ERA through 52.1 innings pitched. Kiersten Nixon has also seen her fair share of innings, posting a 3.17 ERA in 18 appearances. As a staff, UT Martin owns an impressive 2.99 ERA on the year. The Rebels lead the all-time series with UT Martin 16-4 and have won each of the last eight meetings dating back to the 2017 season.
THE LAST TIME OUT
Heading into the midweek doubleheader, Ole Miss is looking to snap a six-game skid. The Rebels have battled with No. 5 Georgia and No. 22 South Carolina each of the last two weekends, falling just short. They hope to bounce back against UT Martin and use the doubleheader to gain momentum before heading to Tuscaloosa for a three-game set with No. 14 Alabama April 5-7.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK
Playing her fifth season in an Ole Miss uniform, senior Paige Smith continues to leave her mark on the record book. The Corona, California, native started her 237th career game on Sunday, passing Heather Swinney (1997-00) for the second-most all-time. Smith also finds herself in the top-10 in program history in RBI (second, 154), doubles (third, 40), home runs (fourth, 36), total bases (fourth, 326), walks (sixth, 75) and slugging percentage (eighth, .470).
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
Playing her fourth and final season in an Ole Miss uniform, Aynslie Furbush is having the best year of her career. A two-way player, she stars for the Rebels in the circle and the batter's box, always finding a way to impact the game. In 2024, Furbush already has 31 hits, the most she's tallied in a single season of her career, while boasting a team-leading .373 average at the plate.
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.
