Rebels Softball Plays Host To Memphis Tonight

#22 Ole Miss Softball run rules Jackson State 10-1 in the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Mississippi.
Photo by Madi Osias/Ole Miss Athletics

This evening, the Ole Miss softball team returns home to host the Memphis Tigers at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Ole Miss (26-13) comes into this mid-week tilt after dropping the series to No. 5 Auburn over the weekend. The Rebels, however, did outscore the Tigers 12-10 in the series.
Senior Miranda Strother needs just two runs to break the Ole Miss career record and has crept up to third in career steals with 69, only three behind her teammate Elantra Cox.
The Rebels have posted 73 percent of its run production in the first four innings alone, outscoring opponents 173-65. Coach Mike Smith’s club has scored first in 67 percent (26 of 39) of their games this season and are 23-3 in scoring first.
Memphis enters Wednesday’s midweek matchup at 23-18 overall with a 5-5 mark in its last 10 contests. Coming off a series loss to UCF, the Tigers have won their last three midweek matchups, sweeping UT Martin last week, and taking one of two from Austin Peay at the end of March. Memphis spent the first six weeks of the season in tournament play, hosting three straight at home to begin the month of March. The Tigers went 11-4 in that 15-game home stretch, which included a 15-1 loss to No. 7 Texas A&M in a midweek affair. Memphis opened the year at FIU’s tournament in Miami, going 3-2 with a key win over the host Panthers, before going a combined 1-5 in tournament play in Las Vegas and Boca Raton.
The Tigers boast a team batting average of .297, led by senior Lindsay Crowdus’ .485 clip, which is tied for second in the nation with Elantra Cox. Crowdus leads the Tigers in nearly every category, ranking second in the country with eight triples and 26 stolen bases, also Top 30 nationally. She’s totaled 65 hits, third most of any player in the NCAA, and leads the club with 23 RBIs. As a team, Memphis ranks seventh in total steals with 96 and steals per game (2.34), led by 26 each from Crowdus and Kyler Trosclair. Trosclair is second offensively with a .424 average and 12 RBIs off 53 hits. Tyler Johnson has the team lead in home runs with three while Addison Maxwell and Lindsey Stickrod have 17 RBIs each.
Ole Miss and Memphis have only met on the diamond five times prior to tonight. The Rebels hold a 4-1 lead in the all time series. Last season, Ole Miss defeated Memphis 5-3.

Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com and he can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
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