RT Cantillo hits the ball during the Rebels game against Tennessee Sunday. / Austin McAfee
FRIDAY: NO. 2 TENNESSEE 12, OLE MISS 4
Freshman Madi Osias had another strong day at the plate for the Ole Miss softball team, and the Rebels held a lead through four innings of play against No. 2 Tennessee. The Lady Vols broke through in the top of the fifth though, and the Rebels fell 12-4 on a beautiful, but cool Friday evening at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
The Rebels took a 3-2 lead after the first inning on a three-run home run by Osias. After the Lady Vols tied the game in the third, Ole Miss responded again in the fourth by retaking the lead at 4-3 thanks to a solo shot from Osias. A nine-run fifth inning by Tennessee proved to be too much though, and the Lady Vols moved to 40-6 on the season and 13-3 in conference play.
“Playing the No. 2 team in the country coming in here, we knew we had to come in loose and play all out. Our girls did a good job of that,” Ole Miss softball head coach Windy Thees said. “… We’re moving up, and to be the best you have to play the best.”
Osias had a fantastic day at the plate for the Rebels (22-27, 2-17 Southeastern Conference), going 2-2 with two home runs and four RBI. In the last seven games, the Tustin, Calif., native has gone a combined 13-21 (.619) with 13 RBI, 10 runs, five home runs and two doubles. Osias is batting .413 for the season in 63 at bats.
“She definitely was seeing the ball very, very well today,” Thees said. “That first pitch she took it out to dead-center. She got all of it, it was awesome. The second one, they were trying to keep it down on her and she left one up and Madi didn’t miss it.”
SATURDAY: NO. 2 TENNESSEE 15, OLE MISS 5
A record crowd of 1,292 fans filled the Ole Miss Softball Complex on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, but Ole Miss could not pull off the upset of No. 2 Tennessee and fell to the Lady Vols 15-5. Saturday’s crowd was the largest ever to see the Rebels play at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
Senior designated player Erinn Jayjohn highlighted the afternoon with a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning. It was the third home run of the season for Jayjohn, and her first home run in Oxford this season.
For the second straight day, Tennessee second baseman Lauren Gibson got the Lady Vols on the board in the top of the first inning with a two-run home run.
Tennessee (41-6, 14-3 Southeastern Conference) scored five runs in the top of the second on four hits, and plated four more runs in the top of the third on four hits.
In the bottom half of the third, Ole Miss (22-28, 2-18 SEC) loaded the bases with singles by Marina Parra and RT Cantillo, and a walk by Brittany Broome. With the count full, sophomore third baseman Allison Brown watched ball four and Parra came home from third on the free pass. Jayjohn then stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam to left field to give the Rebels five runs on three hits for the inning.
Tennessee scored one run in the fourth inning and then three more in the sixth to win the game 15-5.
SUNDAY: NO. 2 TENNESSEE 9, OLE MISS 1
The Ole Miss softball team could not get its offense rolling against No. 2 Tennessee, and lost 9-1 (5) in the series finale Sunday. The Ole Miss Softball Complex was filled again, as 1,061 fans were in attendance. It was the second straight day over 1,000 fans filled the complex.
Freshman right fielder Bri Payne provided the offense for the Rebels on the gorgeous, sunny Sunday afternoon, recording a stand-up RBI double that hit just below the top of the left-center field wall.
The Lady Vols (42-6, 15-3 Southeastern Conference) got on the board in the top of the first inning with four runs on four hits and one Rebel error.
Ole Miss (22-29, 2-19 SEC) scored one run in the bottom of the second on Payne’s RBI double. Payne’s stand-up double scored freshman shortstop Haley Culley from first base.
Tennessee scored three runs in the top of the third and two more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 9-1 lead in the game that would prove to be the final score.
Ole Miss finished with four hits by four different players, including singles from junior outfielder RT Cantillo and freshman second baseman Melina Preciado.
The Rebels will play again Wednesday when they hit the road for the final time this season for a doubleheader at Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La. Game one of the doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m. CT, and the game two is scheduled for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
