Ole Miss Softball Records Pair of Wins

Rebels Top Georgetown 2-1, Liberty 5-1; Gaitan Pitches Gem in Debut

The Ole Miss softball team bounced back on day two of the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational with a pair of wins over Georgetown and Liberty at the FGCU Complex in Fort Myers, Fla.,on Saturday.
Behind a fantastic pitching performance from redshirt-freshman Emily Gaitan, Ole Miss opened the day with a 2-1 victory over the Hoyas. Ole Miss (2-2) then topped Liberty (0-3) in its second game of the day 5-1.
“It was great to bounce back today and pull out a couple of wins,” Ole Miss head coach Windy Thees said. “RT Cantillo really led the way for us offensively and we need to continue to score the runners once we get them on base. We still aren’t where we need to be, but we are heading in the right direction.”
Against the Flames, senior pitcher Shelby Jo Fenter went 6.1 innings, striking out eight batters and allowing just one run on four hits.
For the fourth consecutive game Ole Miss outhit its opponent, this time by an 8-4 count.
Sophomore designated player Madi Osias got the Rebels off to a strong start in the first inning with a three-run home run well over the left field fence.
Ole Miss added to its lead in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from redshirt-freshman second baseman Alyssa Invergo that scored freshman left fielder Miranda Strother.
Invergo and Strother connected again for the Rebels’ final run of the game when the Peotone, Ill., native ripped a standup triple into the right-center field gap that scored Strother from first base easily.
With the score now at 5-1 and the tying run on deck in the seventh, Ole Miss head coach Windy Thees went to Osias to get the final two outs, earn the save and secure the 5-1 win for the Rebels. It was the first save of the season for Osias.
The Rebels will face Georgetown (1-3) Sunday at 10:15 a.m. CT in the tournament’s third-place game.
Gaitan Pitches Gem In Collegiate Debut
Led by redshirt freshman Emily Gaitan, the Ole Miss softball team topped Georgetown 2-1 in Saturday’s opening game.
Gaitan, a Tampa, Fla., native, threw a complete game against the Hoyas, striking out seven batters, while allowing just three hits and two runners to advance past first base.
“Emily Gaitan had a fantastic day on the mound for us,” Thees said. “She really had great composure and was able to throw all of her pitches for strikes. I think this was a great first win of many that this young woman will have in her career as a Rebel.”
Senior center fielder RT Cantillo led Ole Miss at the plate with a 3-3 performance, two RBI and a walk. The Rebels had six batters record hits, and outhit the Hoyas 8-3 in the game.
Entering the bottom of the fourth with a scoreless game and runners on first and second and two outs away, Cantillo hit a single up the middle to score senior catcher Marina Parra and give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.
Ole Miss added an insurance run in the sixth inning with another RBI single up the middle by Cantillo that scored junior Jamie Morgan, who was pinch running for junior Lauren Lindsey.
Georgetown scored an unearned run in the seventh, but Ole Miss prevented any further damage and opened the day with the one-run victory.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at@OleMissSoftball and on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball.
— Ole Miss Sports Information