Ole Miss Advances in SEC Softball Tournament with Win over Mississippi State

May 10, 2017

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WCBI/Ole Miss Athletics) – Behind another stellar performance from junior RHP Kaitlin Lee, and a pair of key hits, No. 18 Ole Miss advanced to the second round of the SEC Tournament with a 2-1 victory over rival Mississippi State Wednesday afternoon at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

The Rebels (37-18) took the lead in the second and never looked back, winning their second ever SEC Tournament game, and second in as many years. With the victory, Ole Miss will take on No. 1 seed Florida in the second round Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT.

Lee was dominant yet again in her 30th start of the year, allowing just one run off five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. She helped to strand five Mississippi State (36-20) baserunners, earning her 17th win of the season.

The top four and bottom two hitters in the lineup accounted for the six hits, and Sarah Van Schaik and Miranda Strother produced the two RBI. Elantra Cox went 1-for-3 from the top with a run scored, breaking the school’s single-season record, while Grayce Majam scored the other as a pinch runner.

Cox got the scoring going in the first when she led off the game with an infield single, before she moved to second on a 1-3, and scored when Van Schaik flared one into right-center making it a 1-0 game.

The Bulldogs came right back in the second to tie it up when Olivia Golden cranked a solo shot to right-center, before Lee worked around two more singles to strand two in the frame.

Ole Miss got the run back though in the home half after Kaylee Horton reached on a hit by pitch, and Courtney Syrett drew a walk taking advantage of two mistakes by the Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Cassady Knudsen. After Paige McKinney roped a hard line drive right at third, Strother stepped in and came through from the 9-spot with an RBI single back up the middle, scoring Majam to take a 2-1 lead. Cox then drew a walk to load the bases, before Alexis Silkwood entered for MSU and got out of the jam.

The Rebels threatened again in the third when Ashton Lampton led off with a single, before Van Schaik reached on a walk, and a sac bunt moved Lampton and Bry Castro (pinch runner) both into scoring position. But, a fielders’ choice and force out at home, and groundout back to the pitcher again left the bases loaded.

From there, both pitchers settled in as Lee allowed one hit the rest of the way, and Silkwood also worked around a couple of Ole Miss hits. The Bulldogs put a runner on in the seventh after an error, but Lee didn’t let it affect her, securing the win.

Quick Hits

With her run scored in the first inning, junior OF Elantra Cox broke the Ole Miss single-season record with her 44th of the year, topping her own teammate Miranda Strother, and Hailey Lunderman’s record of 43 set just last season.
Senior Miranda Strother stole her 24th base of the year, tying Cox for the season lead. It moved her to a tie with Cox for second place in career steals (74).
Junior RHP Kaitlin Lee earned her 17th win of the year, tied for second-most of any pitcher in school history in a single season. She worked her 23rd start allowing two earned runs or less, striking out four with only five hits allowed.
Ole Miss claimed its third-straight win over Mississippi State, and sixth in the last seven meetings.
The win gave the Rebels their second-ever win in the SEC Tournament, advancing to the second round to face No. 1 Florida for the second-straight year.
After allowing 24 runs in the first four SEC Tournament appearances combined, the Rebels have given up just four in the last three games dating back to the first-ever tournament win in 2016.
Ole Miss saw its 34th different starting lineup of the season, as the batting order was yet again shuffled.

On Deck
The Rebels face No. 1 Florida Thursday in the second round of the SEC Tournament at 2:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network, with Adam Amin (pxp), Amanda Scarborough (analyst) and Laura Rutledge (sideline) on the call.