OXFORD — Elantra Cox went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and the Ole Miss softball team used a three-run fifth inning to edge No. 23 Mississippi State 7-6 on Monday night at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
Cox, a senior, hit a leadoff triple in the first and scored to become the all-time leader for Ole Miss in runs scored (141). The triple was Cox’s eighth of her career, which moves her into a tie for second in program history.
The win helped Ole Miss (22-18, 5-13 Southeastern Conference) salvage the final game of the three-game series.
Seven pitchers saw action, including four for MSU (32-12, 6-9).
Ava Tillmann earned the win by allowing no runs and two hits in the final three innings. She walked one and struck out three.
Senior Kaitlin Lee started and allowed three runs on four hits in three innings. Freshman Anna Borgen relieved Lee in the fourth and completed the frame, allowing three runs on three hits.
MSU junior Emily Heimberger and freshman Carter Spexarth had multiple hits. Spexarth drove in a game-high three RBIs thanks to her first career home run.
Senior Holly Ward took the loss. The right-hander threw the final two innings and allowed one run and one hit. Ward and sophomore Candace Denis struck out team-leading three.
Cox set the tone with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first. She beat the throw home on Kylan Becker’s ground ball to make it 1-0.
After Becker stole second, Dylinn Stancil singled up the middle to make it 2-0.
MSU tied the game on Mia Davidson’s two-run home run to left field. However, Ole Miss took the lead in the bottom of the third. Becker led off with a single to the pitcher and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt that went wide of the bag. Stancil popped up into foul territory and Sarai Niu was able to make the catch while falling into the MSU dugout. Becker took off for the plate and appeared to be tagged out but because the throw was made from outside the field of play in the dugout, Becker was awarded home.
MSU answered in the top of the fourth, as senior Morgan Bell doubled to left field and was lifted for sophomore pinch runner Maddie Dorsett. After moving to third on a fly out, Dorsett scored on a single to tie the game at 3.
After a single through the left side by senior Calyn Adams, Spexarth slugged her first home run of her career with a pinch-hit bomb to right center to give MSU a 6-3 lead.
Ole Miss got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch.
The Rebels loaded in the bases in the bottom of fifth with no outs, Ward recorded two quick outs with a groundout at second to make the force out at home and a strikeout, but a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single put Ole Miss back on top 7-6.
MSU loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles by Spexarth and Heimberger and an intentional walk to Davidson, but a fielder’s choice at shortstop retired the side to keep the Bulldogs off the board.
MSU will play host to Memphis at 6 tonight (SEC Network+) at Nusz Park for the final home mid-week game of the season.
Ole Miss will play host to Louisiana-Monroe at 6 p.m. Wednesday (SEC Network+) at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
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