Ole Miss Softball Takes Down UCF in Orlando

Photo by Paul Keelaghan.

The Ole Miss softball team is off to a fast start on the 2019 season after blanking the Central Florida Golden Knights 3-0 on Thursday in the first game of the Friends of Jaclyn Tournament in Orlando.

The Rebels hurler senior Brittany Finney dominated the circle. She threw the second complete game shutout in her career allowing just four hits and a walk, striking out six.

Batting out of the two-hole, junior Kaylee Horton, a slapper, went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and a walk.

The Rebels didn’t waste any time getting the first run of the season up on the board. Horton got things started with a looping single down the left field line before stealing second. Finney helped her own cause with an RBI single, lacing a pitch back up the middle to plate Horton.

Ole Miss added to its lead in the third, with Horton doing the bidding again. The junior led off with a single up the middle, once again swiping second. After she moved to third on an Abbey Latham grounder, the Jasper, Alabama native beat the throw home on a double steal to make it 2-0 in favor of the Rebs.

The Rebels used their speed once more in the fourth to tack on another run. After Gabby Alvarez drilled a double down the right-field line, Tate Whitley came on to run out of the flex spot. With Whitley on third, Ole Miss once again utilized the double steal and the freshman slid under the tag at the plate to extend the lead.

Ole Miss returns to action this afternoon against Ohio State at 1:30 p.m.

Staff Report