COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 15 Ole Miss dropped a narrow, 1-0 decision in eight innings at No. 6 South Carolina on Friday night at Beckham Field.
The Rebels (28-8, 5-5 SEC) managed to outhit the Gamecocks (29-7, 5-5 SEC), 7-3, but could not hang on, as the hosts earned a bases loaded walk to win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.
From the start, both Ole Miss starter Miali Guachino and South Carolina starter Sam Gress shined, going toe-to-toe for the entirety of regulation.
The Rebels were able to find the most offensive momentum early on, as Jaden Pone led off the game with a single and Aliyah Binford followed it up with her own single. Gress navigated the next two Rebels with a pair of strikeouts.
Guachino delivered some more tightrope walking in the bottom half of the inning, by getting out of a two-runner on-base situation.
Guachino nabbed a liner by South Carolina’s Ella Chancey and calmly doubled up the lead runner at third base to escape unscathed.
Back-and-forth the two pitchers went, with each delivering timely strikeouts. The Rebels got out of another jam in the third inning, thanks to a timely challenge on a runner leaving early by head coach Jamie Trachsel and a pair of strikeouts from Guachino.
The Rebels continued to attack, getting at least one base runner in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but each time, Gress was able to navigate out of trouble.
The best chance of the group was the sixth inning, as Persy Llamas and Mackenzie Pickens each singled, but were stranded on the base paths.
South Carolina nearly struck for the game’s first run in the bottom of the sixth inning, as a walk and single got the Gamecocks in business, before Chancey stepped in.
Chancey dropped a single into right field, but a perfect throw from Lair Beuatae to Lexie Brady got the runner at the plate for the second out of the inning. Guachino took it from there, striking out the next batter to keep the game level.
Guachino did it again to force extra innings, as she bounced back from walking a batter in the bottom half of the seventh inning to deliver an emphatic punchout for her seventh of the night.
A bunt single by Beautae provided some hope for a run in the eighth, as Addison Duke advanced to second after coming into pinch run. However, the Gamecocks escaped with a pair of fly outs. Ultimately, a bases loaded walk would doom the Rebels in the bottom half of the eighth inning, as South Carolina’s Abigail Knight drove in the winning run.
Ole Miss continues action against South Carolina with game two on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
