The University of Mississippi Athletics
Tuesday, May 7
Auburn, Ala.
6 PM
Ole Miss
31-24
7
vs
2
Kentucky
30-22
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5
6
7
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H
E
Ole Miss
1
0
2
0
1
1
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7
8
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Kentucky
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3
2
Softball Dominates No. 25 Kentucky 7-2 at SEC Tournament
5/8/2024 | Softball
AUBURN, Ala. – Ole Miss left no doubt in the opening round of the 2024 SEC Softball Tournament, dominating No. 25 Kentucky 7-2 on Tuesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Rebels (31-24, 7-17 SEC) scored in five different innings, led by senior Paige Smith, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a solo home run. Jalia Lassiter also went yard, capping off the night with a two-run blast.
In the circle, Grace Sparks and Brianna Lopez combined to hold Kentucky to three hits. Sparks picked up her ninth win of the season, going 4.1 innings and allowing just one earned run. Lopez was perfect in relief, securing the save and retiring all seven batters she faced.
Smith got the Rebels going in the first inning with a solo shot to left, her 38th career dinger, to give Ole Miss a 1-0 lead right out of the gate. She helped tack on another RBI in the third, slashing a single down the line after Ryan Starr singled and Pone walked.
Still rallying in the third, Ole Miss loaded the bases with Lexie Brady coming to the dish. The Rebel slugger wore a pitch off the elbow guard to walk in a run and make it 3-0.
Kentucky managed to wiggle out of the jam and respond with a pair of runs of its own in the bottom half. The Wildcats pulled back within one after a passed ball and a throwing error plated two.
Looking for insurance in the fifth, Ole Miss loaded the bases again and brought pinch hitter Annie Orman to the plate. The Myrtle, Mississippi, native cushioned the lead with a sacrifice fly, scoring Brady to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
With the Wildcats threatening in the bottom half of the fifth, Lopez took over in the circle out of the bullpen. The lefty made her SEC Tournament debut, needing only four pitches to strike out the pinch hitter and end the inning. Kentucky had no answers for Lopez, who was unhittable to close out the game, striking out four of the seven batters faced in her 2.1 innings of work.
Ole Miss added three runs in the final two frames to put the game out of reach. Angelina DeLeon laced her first career triple down the line in right to bring in a run, and Lassiter launched a two-run home run to cap off the scoring.
The Rebels are back in action at the 2024 SEC Softball Tournament on Wednesday, May 8, taking on fifth-seeded Missouri at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
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.
The Rebels (31-24, 7-17 SEC) scored in five different innings, led by senior Paige Smith, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a solo home run. Jalia Lassiter also went yard, capping off the night with a two-run blast.
In the circle, Grace Sparks and Brianna Lopez combined to hold Kentucky to three hits. Sparks picked up her ninth win of the season, going 4.1 innings and allowing just one earned run. Lopez was perfect in relief, securing the save and retiring all seven batters she faced.
Smith got the Rebels going in the first inning with a solo shot to left, her 38th career dinger, to give Ole Miss a 1-0 lead right out of the gate. She helped tack on another RBI in the third, slashing a single down the line after Ryan Starr singled and Pone walked.
Still rallying in the third, Ole Miss loaded the bases with Lexie Brady coming to the dish. The Rebel slugger wore a pitch off the elbow guard to walk in a run and make it 3-0.
Kentucky managed to wiggle out of the jam and respond with a pair of runs of its own in the bottom half. The Wildcats pulled back within one after a passed ball and a throwing error plated two.
Looking for insurance in the fifth, Ole Miss loaded the bases again and brought pinch hitter Annie Orman to the plate. The Myrtle, Mississippi, native cushioned the lead with a sacrifice fly, scoring Brady to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
With the Wildcats threatening in the bottom half of the fifth, Lopez took over in the circle out of the bullpen. The lefty made her SEC Tournament debut, needing only four pitches to strike out the pinch hitter and end the inning. Kentucky had no answers for Lopez, who was unhittable to close out the game, striking out four of the seven batters faced in her 2.1 innings of work.
Ole Miss added three runs in the final two frames to put the game out of reach. Angelina DeLeon laced her first career triple down the line in right to bring in a run, and Lassiter launched a two-run home run to cap off the scoring.
The Rebels are back in action at the 2024 SEC Softball Tournament on Wednesday, May 8, taking on fifth-seeded Missouri at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
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: Sparks, Grace (9-2)
L: Stephanie Schoonover (18-9)
S: Lopez, Brianna (3)
Batting:
2B: Pone, Jaden 1
3B: DeLeon, Angelina 1
HR: Lassiter, Jalia 1 ; Smith, Paige 1
RBI: Lassiter, Jalia 2 ; Smith, Paige 2 ; DeLeon, Angelina 1 ; Brady, Lexie 1 ; Orman, Annie 1
SH: Lassiter, Jalia 1
SF: Orman, Annie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lassiter, Jalia 1 ; Pone, Jaden 1 ; Smith, Paige 1 ; Furbush, Aynslie 1 ; Brady, Lexie 1 ; Malvin, Taylor 1 ; Starr, Ryan 1
HBP: Smith, Paige 1 ; Furbush, Aynslie 1 ; Brady, Lexie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hallie Mitchell 1 ; Emory Donaldson 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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