#12 Lady Vols' Comeback Efforts Fall Short At Ole Miss

Saturday, April 30

Oxford, Miss.

5:00 PM

University of Tennessee

Ole Miss

Photo by: Forest Jersey/Tennessee Athletics

#12 Lady Vols' Comeback Efforts Fall Short At Ole Miss

April 30, 2022 | Softball

Box Score Box Score Updated Season Stats Updated SEC-Only Stats

OXFORD, Miss. -- Despite coming back to tie the game twice, No. 12 Tennessee fell in its series opener at Ole Miss 5-4 on Saturday at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. After a two-run Lady Vol rally to tie the game in the top of the seventh, Rebel two-way freshman Catelyn Riley delivered the walk-off hit in the bottom half with an RBI single to end the game.

Junior outfielder Kiki Milloy (2-for-4, R) and sophomore infielder Zaida Puni (2-for-3, RBI, 2B) each posted multi-hit efforts for the Big Orange. Freshman Lair Beautae came through with a game-tying single in the fourth, and super senior shortstop Ivy Davis sparked the seventh-inning rally with a solo home run to highlight Tennessee (34-14, 11-7 SEC) at the plate.

Graduate left-hander Erin Edmoundson got the start and posted seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings before being relieved by sophomore righty Ryleigh White. The second-year pitcher retired five consecutive batters to begin her outing before the Rebels rallied for the walk-off win.

Ole Miss (35-14, 9-10 SEC) opened the scoring early with a two-out, two-run rally in the bottom of the first. After Edmoundson retired the first two batters in order, Abbey Latham and Catelyn Riley reached on back-to-back walks before junior 3B Paige Smith drove a full-count pitch into the right-center field gap for a two-run double to give Ole Miss a 2-0 edge through one.

Edmoundson settled in and retired seven-straight to set up the Lady Vols' first comeback of the game in the top of the fourth as UT capitalized on three Ole Miss errors. Puni got on base after a fielding error at third base before her pinch runner Kaitlin Parsons stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. When freshman McKenna Gibson struck out on a dropped third strike, a throwing error by the Ole Miss catcher allowed Parsons to come home and cut the deficit to one run.

Beautae knocked her game-tying single in the fourth, plating pinch runner Anna Fox from third to knot it up at two runs apiece.

The Rebels swung right back, adding one run each in the fourth and fifth frames. Smith led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to left field, and senior right fielder Bre Roper roped an RBI double in the fifth to put Ole Miss back ahead by two through five innings.

After a scoreless sixth for both sides, the Lady Vols trailed 4-2 entering the top of the seventh and needed two runs to keep the game alive. Davis led off and blasted her 10th home run of the season to left field to bring Tennessee within a run of the Rebels. Milloy kept the rally going with a single to left, Amanda Ayala got on base with a walk, and Puni sent an RBI single up the middle to bring Milloy in from second and tie the game at four.

The Rebels claimed the series opener in the bottom of the seventh with one run on three hits. After recording the final two outs in the circle for Ole Miss in the top half, Riley stepped in the box with two outs and runners on the corners. The Dandridge, Tennessee, native pushed a single through the right side, and Tate Whitley crossed home plate to provide the unranked Rebels with a top-15 victory.

UP NEXT: Tennessee looks to even the series Sunday evening, with first pitch between the Lady Vols and Rebels scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. The contest will be televised on SEC Network and can be heard on the radio in Knoxville on FM 99.1 and AM 990.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee softball, follow @Vol_Softball on Twitter and Instagram.