Rebels snap drought to No. 14 Georgia

Game Two – No. 14 Georgia 10, Ole Miss 3

ATHENS, Ga. – Ole Miss Softball snapped a drought with the program’s first win over Georgia since 2003, splitting Sunday’s doubleheader at Jack Turner Stadium with a 1-0 win and 10-3 loss.

The weather finally cooperated enough allowing the SEC series to be completed, as the two teams picked up from Saturday’s suspended game two before playing the finale right after.

Ole Miss’ win in the first contest on Sunday is the first for the Rebels over Georgia since April 13, 2003, and the first win in Athens since April 21, 2002. The victory was just the fifth overall for the program in Athens, snapping a 32-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.

The victory also put the Rebels at double-digit road wins with 10 on the year, becoming the first team in school history to reach the 10-win mark in road matchups.

Senior Madi Osias pitched her second-straight complete-game shutout in the first game of the day, while the Rebels’ early lead through three and a half wasn’t enough as No. 14 Georgia battled back for the rubber match.

See below for full recaps on both of Sunday’s games.

Game One – Ole Miss 1, No. 14 Georgia 0
Osias was dominant in her 22nd start of her senior campaign, picking up her 19th victory in the circle. She shut down the nation’s second-best offense, working eight strikeouts, her fourth time this season with eight or more.

The senior recorded at least one strikeout to six of the nine hitters in the Georgia lineup, and worked her way out of four jams with a punch out, including the last frame where she retired the Bulldogs’ slugger Alex Hugo to preserve the win.

It was Osias’ seventh complete game of the year and her third solo shutout as she and the Rebel defense handed the high-powered Georgia offense its first shutout of 2016.

Both sides tallied five hits, but it was the Rebels’ fourth that made the difference in the runs column. After Miranda Strother led off with a single and then got caught stealing at third, Courtney Syrett walked and Sarah Van Schaik singled through the left side. Kylan Becker then delivered the only RBI of the contest off a double into shallow right center that plated Syrett, putting the Rebels on top 1-0 in a score that would hold for the duration.

The freshman finished 2-for-3 at the plate with the game winner, as Strother, Ashton Lampton and Van Schaik all added one hit each.

Game Two – No. 14 Georgia 10, Ole Miss 3
Ole Miss went up on the Bulldogs early, 2-0, in the second, and scored their final run in the fourth. Syrett led the way in the second drawing a walk, before Paige McKinney pinch ran for her and moved to second on a wild pitch. From there, Van Schaik put down a sacrifice bunt, before Becker’s RBI single to left gave the Rebels a 1-0 advantage.

Alex Schneider kept it alive with a single to right, before Grayce Majam grounded into a fielders choice getting Becker out at third. But, Cox came through with a single into the outfield, driving in Schneider pushing the lead to 2-0.

Van Schaik led off the fourth again with a walk, and was pinch ran for by Haley Culley, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt. After Majam was hit by a pitch, Cox delivered her second RBI on a single to center putting Ole Miss in front 3-0.

Up to that point, Kayla Landwehrmier was effective escaping a couple jams and providing a strong effort. But, in the fourth, Georgia’s offense broke through with eight runs off eight hits to take the lead that would stand. From there, they went on to add two more in the sixth to claim the finale.

Cox and Becker both tacked on two hits for the Rebels to lead the seven-hit effort. The duo finished with all three RBI, while Lunderman, Lampton and Schneider added a hit each.

Landwehrmier was tagged with the loss after four runs allowed off six hits in 3.1 innings. Elisha Jahnke completed a third of a frame with four runs off four hits, while Krista Jacobs worked the final 2.1 with two runs off three hits.

On Deck
The Rebels return to the diamond Wednesday with their final midweek game at Louisiana Tech set for a 5 p.m. first pitch in Ruston.

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. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.