Feb. 8, 2013

Box Score - No. 16 Washington 10, Ole Miss 2

HONOLULU – The Ole Miss softball team dropped a pair of games Friday afternoon to UAB and No. 16 Washington at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in Honolulu.

The Rebels (1-3) fell to UAB 5-3 to open the day, and then lost to the Huskies 10-2 in five innings.

“We’re in a very good tournament and we came out this morning against a very good UAB team and we were tied going into the seventh and we were battling,” Ole Miss softball head coach Windy Thees said. “We just hung a pitch and a team like UAB – a top-35 team – will hurt you with it.

“Then facing No. 16 Washington, a really good squad, and we just got in trouble. Walks always have a way of scoring and we just walked too many.”

A bright spot for the Rebels Friday afternoon was the play of sophomore third baseman Allison Brown. Brown roped a double against the Huskies (2-1) and finished the day against UAB and Washington with a pair of doubles and a home run, on 3-6 hitting, batting in two runs and scoring a run.

“Brown has really gotten off to a great start for us,” Thees said. “She’s really calm at the plate, a couple doubles and a home run. She’s our leader right now, she’s our catalyst and we need to feed off of that.”

Freshman right fielder Bri Payne hit her first home run of her collegiate career against, a solo shot over the right field wall against Washington, and freshman shortstop Haley Culley and junior first baseman Londen Ladner each recorded singles against the Huskies.

Friday’s games marked the end of pool play at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic, with single elimination beginning Saturday. Ole Miss will face Saint Mary’s on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. The winner of that game will face the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Hawaii (4-0). The Rebels defeated Saint Mary’s in their season opener, 10-2.

Ole Miss Softball Head Coach Windy Thees

Rebels Fall 5-3 To UAB

Box Score - UAB 5, Ole Miss 3

HONOLULU - Tied entering the seventh inning, the Ole Miss Rebels gave up a two-run home run in the top-half of the inning, and fell to UAB 5-3 at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in Honolulu.

The Rebels recorded their first home run of the season, a bomb to left-center field by Brown, and took a 3-2 lead into the fifth. UAB tied the score in the top of the fifth inning, and the Blazers then hit the eventual game-winning two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

Brown led Ole Miss at the plate with a 2-4 performance, including one run, two RBI and one home run. Culley, junior second baseman Marina Parra and sophomore Lauren Lindsey each recorded one hit for the Rebels, with Lindsey’s coming as a pinch hitter. Junior centerfielder RT Cantillo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third inning to bat in the Rebels’ third run of the game.

For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball and on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball.