Kennedy Bunker’s two home runs lifted the Rebels past Mississippi State on Friday.
With one swing of the bat, Ole Miss catcher Kennedy Bunker evened the Egg Bowl of softball series at a game apiece. Bunker, with one out on the bottom of the seventh, carried the Rebels to a walk-off, 3-2 victory over rival Mississippi State on Friday night in Oxford.
The round-tripper was the second of the game for Bunker, who blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Rebels a quick 1-0 lead.
The victory improved Ole Miss to 31-23 and to 5-18 in SEC play. The victory snapped a seven-ganme losing streak to opponents ranked inside the Top 25.
Mississippi State dropped to 37-16 and to 9-14 inside the conference.
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Ole Miss used three different pitchers to throttle the Bulldogs’ bats for the second straight night. Kyra Aycock started the game and worked the first 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and six walks. She was lifted in the top of the fourth for Lilly Whitten, who went 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
But it was Emillee Boyer who came on to shut the door after pitching lights out in a 1-0 loss to Mississippi State on Thursday. Boyer (10-12) worked the final 1.2 innings of relief to pick up the win after her offense left her hanging the night before.
Mississippi State tied the game 1-1 in the fourth before Ole Miss surged ahead again in the bottom of the sixth when Laylonna Applin doubled home teammate Tinly Grisham to make the score 2-1.
Mississippi State would tied the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for Bunker’s walk-off dramatics.
The two teams play the decisive game three of the series Saturday at 2 p.mn. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.