Ole Miss Softball Splits on Day One of Clemson Classic

CLEMSON, S.C. – (Release) Ole Miss Softball won its 10^th straight game, topping UConn 2-1, but fell to the host No. 9 Clemson 9-1 on the first day of the Clemson Classic Friday at McWhorter Stadium.

GAME ONE | Ole Miss 2, UConn 1
Aynslie Furbush earned her first victory of the season and drove in the game-winning run as Ole Miss defeated UConn 2-1 in a pitchers’ duel to open the day at the Clemson Classic.

The Rebels only needed five hits to do their damage thanks to a strong effort in the circle. Furbush, Brianna Lopez and Catelyn Riley combined to hold the Huskies to just one hit while striking out 10 batters faced. Four of the team’s five hits came in a two-run rally in the bottom of the fourth.

Furbush looked sharp, striking out all three batters she faced in the first inning. She followed it up with another punch out in a 1-2-3 second inning and hung another zero in the third despite walking one Huskie.

Jaden Pone walked her first time up, extending her reached base streak to seven games, but the Rebels were kept in check offensively the first time through the order.

After three scoreless innings, UConn got on the board with a two-out rally. A hit batter turned into the first run of the game, scoring on an RBI double. However, Furbush’s seventh strikeout of the game ended the threat and minimized the damage.

A Lexie Brady one-out single off the wall in the bottom of the fourth sparked the offense. She quickly swiped second to move into scoring position and tied things up at 1-1 on an RBI single from Jamie Mackay. Mackay advanced second on an errant throw to the plate and scored the go-ahead run on a base hit back up the middle by Furbush.

With a 2-1 edge, Lopez pitched the fifth. She recorded a strikeout and got some help from her defense as Angelina DeLeon and Ryan Starr rolled an inning-ending double play. Riley took over in the circle the following inning and closed out the game, picking up her first save of the season and retiring all six batters she faced in order to cap off Ole Miss’ 10^thstraight victory.

GAME TWO | Ole Miss 1, #9 Clemson 9
Battling with No. 9 Clemson in game two of the afternoon, Ole Miss fell 9-1 in six innings. Makenna Kliethermes held a potent Tiger offense at bay for 3.0 innings, only allowing two earned runs. All-American pitcher and reigning National Player of the Year Valerie Cagle limited the Rebels at the plate to just four hits.

Clemson scored first, striking for two runs in the second inning. The Tigers beat out the throw to the plate for the first run of the game and capitalized on an error to tack on a second in the frame.

Trailing 2-0, the Rebels created chaos on the basepaths to cut the deficit to one. Mackay reached on an error and went first to third on a Jalia Lassiter base hit. Putting the runners in motion, Lassiter stole her seventh bag of the season, and Mackay raced home as the throw bounced away at second to make it 2-1.

Ole Miss turned to Riley in the circle with one on and nobody out in the fourth inning, but six straight hits allowed the Tigers to open up a 6-1 lead.

The Rebels tried to climb back into the contest, putting multiple runners on base in the fifth and sixth innings, but continued to square up balls right at the Clemson defense.

In the sixth inning, the Tigers loaded the bases and tacked on three more runs to bring the run-rule into effect and earn the victory.

Ole Miss is back in action for day two of the Clemson Classic on Saturday, February 24, against Miami (OH) at 10 a.m. CT. After the conclusion of Friday and Saturday’s games, the tournament field will be reseeded into a 4th vs. 3^rdplace game and a 2nd vs. 1st place game.

(Featured Image courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics)

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports