Headlines
Rebels Prepare to Tangle with the Longhorns South of the Border
Photo courtesy Joshua McCoy
The No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels softball team takes the field against the Texas Longhorns tonight south of the border in Mexico. As they take part in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, the first pitch is set for 8 p.m. in the first collegiate fastpitch games in NCAA-history to be played outside the U.S. in 2015.
Ole Miss (3-1) is coming off of a short weekend due to rain at the Sand Dollar Classic. The Rebels opened the classic with wins over Virginia Tech and Florida A&M before splitting contests with Lamar and Lipscomb the next day.
At the Sand Dollar Classic, eight players made their first-ever appearance in a Rebel uniform, and six players made their college debut. Transfers Autumn Gillespie and Celeste Wood both started all four games, while freshman Ally Mena and junior college transfer Izzy Werdann appeared in all four games. Amanda Roth made two starts at the hot corner for the Rebels, while Jessica Puk saw action in three of the four contests as a reserve. After sitting out the 2017 season due to an injury in the preseason, Gabby Alvarez finally got to make her Ole Miss debut as a pinch hitter. Meanwhile, freshman lefty Anna Borgen appeared in two games in the circle, making her first start against Lamar.
Texas enters the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge with a 2-2 record after splitting their games as host of the Texas Classic. UT earned victories over Incarnate Word and Wisconsin to start off the event before dropping its last two contests against Colorado State and the Badgers.
In the midst of the 22nd season under head coach Connie Clark, the Longhorns are led offensively by freshman Janae Jefferson, who started all four games for UT this past weekend, posting a .500 batting average with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs.
In the circle, senior Paige von Sprecken garnered the win in her lone start, registering a 0.91 ERA in two appearances and striking out seven in 7.2 innings of work. Junior Brooke Bolinger was the recipient of the Longhorns’ other win. She has posted a 3.23 ERA in 8.2 innings of work, striking out 13 with just four walks.
Ole Miss will take the diamond on Friday against Houston at 2 p.m.
Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | L, 83-75 |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | W, 72-69 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | L, 92-82 |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | W, 98-84 |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |