Errors doom Ole Miss in softball loss to Boise State
Published 4:37 pm Sunday, February 17, 2019
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Boise State scored five runs on six Ole Miss errors in the first inning en route to a 6-4 win over the Rebels on Sunday on the final day of the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament.
Ava Tillman took the loss in the circle despite not allowing a single earned run. The sophomore allowed five unearned in the opening frame, striking out two in her 3.0 innings of work. Anna Borgen surrendered one run in her only inning, while Brittany Finney came on for two scoreless to close the game.
The Rebels got off to a quick start as Kylan Becker led off with a single and stole second before Kaylee Horton roped a triple to dead center, opening scoring after just a few pitches. Horton eventually scored to double the lead after Jessica Puk and Autumn Gillespie were hit by back-to-back pitches.
However, Ole Miss would relinquish the lead in the home half of the inning due to some sloppy play on defense. The Broncos scored five unearned runs on two hits and six Rebel errors, putting Ole Miss in an early hole. The six errors in the first inning are more than the Rebels have recorded in a single game in the last four seasons.
The Rebels cut the deficit to a single run in the third as Abbey Latham clobbered a solo home run well past the left field wall and Puk came home on a wild pitch. However, the Broncos would extend the lead back out to two with a run in the fourth.
The Rebels gave themselves a chance at the comeback in the seventh, putting the tying run on base. Finney flew out to left field to end the game.
Ole Miss is now 6-3 on the season. Boise State improved to 6-2.
The Rebels return to action next weekend at the Texas Invitational, playing three games Feb. 22-24 against Tulsa, Sam Houston State and Texas in Austin, Texas.
Mitch Praxl