The Rebels (15-10, 1-5 SEC) and Tigers (19-7, 0-0 AAC) each collected seven hits in the game. However, Memphis batted .364 with runners in scoring position, compared to a .286 average in the same situation for Ole Miss.
Anna Borgen took the loss in the affair, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits in 2.1 innings. Kaitlin Lee came on and allowed two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief. Ava Tillmann surrendered a pair of runs in her 0.1 innings, while Morgan Bruce retired both batters she faced in relief.
After both teams went down quietly in the opening frame, Ole Miss went to work in the second. Kaylee Horton drew a walk to become the Rebels’ first baserunner of the contest and Paige McKinney and Amanda Roth followed with back-to-back two-out singles to load the bases. Ally Mena then came through with a clutch single through the left side, plating a pair to give the Rebs an early lead.
The Tigers were able to answer back with a run of their own in the home half of the frame. Brooke Lee sent a double to the right-center fence with 1-out and Regan Hadley reached on an infield single. Lee took the turn and kept running for home. It appeared as though McKinney’s throw would be in time for the tag but Autumn Gillespie was unable to squeeze it, allowing the run to score on the error.
That inning kick-started a momentum shift for the Tigers, with Memphis scoring six runs in the third to take a 7-2 lead on the Rebels. With two runs already scored in the inning, Kendall Lee punctuated the stanza with a pinch-hit grand slam to left-center.
The Rebels were able to cut the lead by a run in the fourth. McKinney and Roth both singled to start off the frame before McKinney came home on a wild pitch by Tiger pitcher Molly Smith.
However, the Tigers scratched across two more runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly and Ole Miss was unable to mount a comeback, snapping a five-game winning streak over Memphis.
Ole Miss returns to SEC play this weekend with a three-game set at Alabama in Tuscaloosa Friday through Sunday. All three games will be streamed live on SEC Network +.
Quick Hits
Ole Miss’ 7-9 hitters went 5-for-8 in the game. Entering the game, the Rebels were receiving a .242 average out of the 7-9 spots in the order.
Sophomore Kaylee Horton went 2-for-3 in the game, bringing her batting average up to a team-high .360.
Freshman Amanda Roth ended a streak of eight-straight games without a hit with a 2-for-3 performance, the second multi-hit game of her career.
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.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics
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