Ole Miss sweeps North Dakota State in Puerto Vallarta

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Mya Stevenson’s two home runs powered Ole Miss softball past North Dakota State as the Rebels swept the Bison on Saturday afternoon at Nancy Almaraz Field.

GAME ONE: OLE MISS 8, NDSU 0

Brooke Vestal was lights out in the circle, tossing a complete game one-hit shutout of the Bison as the Rebels cruised to an 8-0 victory in five innings.

Ole Miss jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Jalia Lassiter was hit by a pitch and Stevenson went a yard two batters later. The Rebels added to their lead in the following inning as Furbush cranked his first home run of the season to make it 3-0. He continued to threaten, loading the bases with two outs and tacking on a fourth run on a fielding error.

Another two-run rally in the third helped Ole Miss make it three points. Jenna Lord and Mikayla Allee singled, bringing Jamie Mackay to the plate. The freshman catcher delivered, hitting the first home run of his college career and turning things around in the top order. Batting in the leadoff spot, Lassiter singled and drove in a pair to push the lead to 7-0.

The Bison kept Ole Miss off the board in the fourth, but Lexie Brady walked to lead off the fifth and worked her way around the base path to score on a sacrifice fly as the leg slid in just under the tag. With the run rule in effect, Vestal retired the final three to secure his first victory of the afternoon.

GAME 2: OLE MISS 5, NDSU 3

Trailing by three runs, Ole Miss softball scored five unanswered to secure a come-from-behind victory and close out a doubleheader sweep of North Dakota State.

The two pitchers were locked in early, keeping the opposing offense off the board until the fifth inning. Makenna Kliethermes was strong in the circle, going 4.1 innings. Their defense pulled away, even with runners on base, but the Bison finally got a break in the fifth, taking a 3-0 lead.

Ole Miss answered in the bottom half of the inning as Stevenson blasted his second homer of the day, this time a solo shot. Two outs later, Allee singled, and Keila Kamoku walked to put the tying run on base. Head coach Jamie Tracshel turned in freshman Natalie Ray as a pinch hitter, and the Covington, Georgia, native delivered in a big way. Ray singled to left and took two extra bases on Bison miscues to tie the game up at three apiece.

The following inning Ole Miss went to the bullpen and handed the ball to freshman Grace Sparks, who closed out the game. He used his second ball in the sixth to send the offense back to the plate with a chance to win the game.

Sikes was hit by a pitch to start the sixth inning, and with one out and Stevenson up to the plate, the Bison had some decisions. They intentionally walked the slugger and Furbush, who hit right after him, brought Lord to the plate with the bases loaded and one away. Transfer came up wide, taking the ball the opposite way for a two-run single that proved to be the game-winning hit.

Until Next Time

Ole Miss returns to action in Session Two of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Thursday against Liberty and Southern Illinois.