Ole Miss head coach Jamie Trachsel
Ole Miss starting pitcher Emilee Boyer walked 11 LSU batters in a six-inning complete game and it finally caught up with her team, as LSU whipped out a 6-4, come-from-behind-late victory over the Rebels on Friday night in Baton Rouge.
Ole Miss dropped to 27-19 and remained hapless in SEC play, falling to 2-14. LSU improved to 30-14 and to 7-9 in the conference.
For six innings, it looked as if it might be the Rebels’ night. Despite Boyer’s struggles throwing strikes, Ole Miss held a 4-1 lead as action entered the bottom of the sixth. That’s when the Tigers struck for five runs off Boyer to take a 6-4 lead they would refuse to yield in the Rebels’ last three outs. The big blow in the inning came when LSU’s Tori Edwards hit an inside-the-park grand slam past an outstretched Laylonna Applin in right field that cleared the bases.
BOX SCORE | https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=639114
Boyer’s final line read six innings, eight hits. the 11 free passes and five strikeouts. Her record dipped to 9-9.
Persy Llamas and Madi George each hit homers. Llamas’ was a two-run blast, while George connected on a solo shot, and in so doing set the single-season record for the most longballs by a freshman at 17.
The two teams meet again Saturday as Ole Miss attempts to tie the series. First pitch at Tiger Park is set for 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network+.
365 SAYS…
Ole Miss’ pitching has simply been horrible in SEC play. Add in the fact that head coach Jamie Trachsel nor pitching coach Nancy Evans elected to go to the bullpen at any point when Boyer was walking batter after batter Friday night, and the hope of any quality bullpen arms evaporates rather quickly. In short, one figures Boyer had to remain in the game, because Kyra Aycock and Lilly Whiten are likely the next pitchers up…and there are two games remaining in the series.