Mississippi catcher Courtney Syrett prepares to hit the ball during an NCAA women’s softball game against University of Tennessee Martin in Oxford, Miss., Tuesday, March 31, 2015. (DM Photo | Marlee Crawford)
The Ole Miss softball team scored four runs in the fifth inning, carrying them to a 6-4 victory over the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks Tuesday night at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. It was the seventh straight win for the Rebels, who improved to 22-13 on the season. The Skyhawks fell to 16-16.
“Midweeks are always tough, especially coming off an emotional weekend,” Mike Smith, Ole Miss head coach, said. “I felt like we came out a little flat, but we’ve been a team that’s been resilient.”
The Rebels opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore catcher Courtney Syrett led off the inning with a walk and was bunted over to second by sophomore second baseman Alyssa Invergo. Freshman shortstop Grayce Majam hit a liner that went off the diving second baseman’s glove, and Syrett was able to come around and score.
Tennessee-Martin answered in the top of the fourth inning. A single, sacrifice bunt, then a double from Skyhawk sophomore Renate Meckl tied the game at one apiece. The Skyhawks then took the lead courtesy of a two-run homer by senior first baseman Lauren Smith, but the Rebels responded in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Majam, freshman outfielder Elantra Cox and junior catcher and outfielder Natalie Martinez walked to load the bases. Sophomore outfielder Miranda Strother came to the plate and laced a single up the middle, scoring Majam and Cox to tie the game at three. With two outs and the bases loaded, senior third baseman/shortstop Allison Brown hit a double down the left field line, sending home two more Rebels and giving them the 5-3 lead.
Freshman pitcher Kayla Landwehrmier shut down the Skyhawks the rest of the way.
“That was big time,” Smith said. “That was huge on her part, to be able to shut the door right there.
The Rebels would add to their lead in the sixth inning. Invergo led off the inning with a single. With two outs, Martinez came up big hitting a triple to the right center field gap to score Invergo.
Tennessee-Martin would make it interesting in the top of the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Landwehrmier forced a wild pitch, scoring a run. The next batter hit the ball hard, but it was caught at the warning track in left field to end the game.
“We kind of let some stuff get away in that inning,” Smith said. “That ball carried a little too much for my liking, but that’s our team. We make it interesting. We just have to make better pitches late in the ballgame.”
The Rebels will fight hard for their eighth straight win on Friday against No. 2 LSU in Baton Rouge. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m
