AUBURN, Ala. — Ole Miss chose to ride the hot hand after Tuesday night’s win over Kentucky at the Southeastern Conference softball tournament, going back to changeup specialist Brianna Lopez. But once the Tigers saw Lopez for the second time, the lefthander’s magic ran out.
The No. 5 seed Tigers scored three two-out runs in the third inning against Lopez, and that was all they needed as Missouri pitcher Laurin Krings held the No. 13 seed Rebels to just three hits over six-plus innings in a 3-1 Ole Miss defeat.
Krings recorded just one strikeout, but needed only 79 pitches to get through six-plus frames, pitching to weak contact and recording 10 of her 18 outs on the ground. She left the game after Aynslie Furbush led off the seventh with a home run, but relief ace Taylor Pannell entered and picked up her nation-leading 13th save to send the Rebels (31-25) home.
“We were right there. We put some balls in play. They’re not going to give you much defensively, they’re really sound,” Ole Miss head coach Jamie Trachsel said. “(Krings) is around the strike zone, locates it well.”
Lopez was sharp through the first two innings, using that changeup to pick up three early strikeouts. But with a runner at first and two outs in the third, Jenna Laird hit a line drive to center field that Jaila Lassiter chose to play on a bounce, and Kayley Lenger just beat Lassiter’s throw to third base with Laird taking second on the play. The next batter, Alex Honnold, doubled into the gap in right-center to bring both Lenger and Laird home.
Following a walk, freshman Abby Hay brought in Honnold with a single, ending Lopez’s afternoon. Makenna Kleithermes held Missouri (41-14) scoreless the rest of the way, but the Rebels were unable to get much of anything going against Krings.
“Sometimes (Lopez) can get into trouble and get herself out of it,” Trachsel said. “(Home plate umpire Tom Meyer) generally has a pretty tight zone back there. Consistent, but it’s a little tight back there. That’s a good hitting team.”
Lassiter drew a leadoff walk in the first inning and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but two fly balls to the outfield ended the threat. The only other baserunners Ole Miss managed against Krings before Furbush’s homer were Lassiter’s two-out single in the third and Angelina DeLeon’s two-out double in the fourth.
Despite finishing last in the SEC, the Rebels closed the regular season strong, winning series against Auburn and Arkansas in the final two weekends. Coupled with Tuesday night’s victory over Kentucky in the opening round, Ole Miss raised its RPI to 41 entering Wednesday, which should be enough for the Rebels to reach the NCAA Tournament. They will find out for sure during the selection show Sunday evening.
“When it’s out of your control, you’re not guaranteed anything,” Trachsel said. “I do think our body of work speaks for itself, and when you’re looking at putting teams that are playing their best, that are on the rise, that had a good run going into postseason, we’re a team that’s done that.”
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