Rebels Defeat Tulsa for First NCAA Tournament Win

Ole Miss, in its first ever NCAA Tournament game, took care of business cruising to a 5-1 victory over Tulsa Friday afternoon in the opener of the NCAA Norman Regional at Marita Hynes Field.

It was an all-around effort from the Rebels (40-20), who continue to add on to their record-breaking season win total. Ole Miss posted seven hits on the day, took advantage of three Tulsa errors, and got another solid start in the circle from senior pitcher Madi Osias.

Osias, in her 27th start of the year, was efficient once again, going the full distance with only four hits and one run allowed. She struck out three and walked three in what was her seventh complete game outing in her last nine starts, totaling 11 thus far on the year. The outing was also her 13th of the year allowing just one earned run or less, increasing her single-season record wins mark to 22 in the circle.

Offensively it was the third and fifth frames that made all the difference as the Rebels plated four in the third and added an insurance run in the fifth, scoring the first runs off Tulsa in 27 innings.

Grayce Majam got the rally going for Ole Miss in the third with a 1-out walk before Haley Culley pinch ran for her. After Hailey Lunderman delivered one of her two hits on the day off a single to center, freshman Ashton Lampton delivered with an RBI knock to left putting the home team up 1-0.

From there, freshman Sarah Van Schaik didn’t waste any time, drilling a no doubt 3-run blast to center on the first pitch, scoring Lampton and Lunderman putting the Rebels in front 4-0.

The Rebels added an insurance run in the fifth off three hits and two Golden Hurricane errors. Lunderman punched a single to center to get it started, tallying her 25th multi-hit game, but was then caught stealing at second. But, Lampton quickly replaced her at first off an infield single before moving to second on a wild pitch. Courtney Syrett then tallied her lone hit of the day, a dribbler to second, pushing Lampton to third. Paige McKinney then entered to pinch run at first, and broke for second to steal, when the throw from the Tulsa catcher was short sending Lampton home on the throwing error.

Tulsa went on to tally its only run of the game in the sixth off an RBI double from Julia Hollingsworth. The victory over the Golden Hurricane marked just the second all-time for Ole Miss, and the first since the 1997 campaign. The Rebels also snapped a scoreless streak against Tulsa dating back to 1998 in the win.

Lunderman and Lampton both went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Rebels, while Van Schaik, Syrett and Miranda Strother all chipped in with one hit each. Culley was credited with scoring the first run for an Ole Miss in an NCAA Tournament game, while Lampton scored twice on the day.

On Deck
Ole Miss advances on in the winners bracket to face the winner of the No.3 Oklahoma/Wichita State game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Norman.

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.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports