Ole Miss slugger Madi George is congratulated by teammates after homering Friday at the Lubbock Regional.
It took a game-ending double play from first baseman Persy Llamas to second baseman Mackenzie Pickens to end it, but the Ole Miss Rebels survived the Boston University Terriers 8-6 in the opening-round game of the Lubbock Regional in the NCAA Softball Tournament.
The Rebels advance to a winner’s bracket game at 2 p.m. CT Saturday versus Texas Tech. Marist will meet Boston U. in an elimination game Saturday.
Ole Miss improved to 35-24, while Boston U. dropped to 46-14.
BOX SCORE | https://www.ncaa.com/game/6599853/boxscore
Boston U. took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, knocking Ole Miss starter Kyra Aycock from the circle. The Rebels, however, began chipping away at the lead in the bottom of the inning when Laylonna Applin legged out an infield single, scoring teammate Makcenzie Pickens from third.
Ole Miss first baseman Persy Llamas stands at first during Friday’s Regional win over Boston University.
With reliever Lilly Whitten shutting down the Boston U. offense, the Rebels did their thing in the bottom of the third with a seven-run explosion. Pickens led the inning off with a solo home run over the deep, center field wall, tying the game 2-2. Lalamas followed with a single to bring Rebel freshman slugger Madi George to the plate. George blasted an offering over the left-center fence, giving Ole Miss the lead, 4-2. The Rebels managed four more runs in the onslaught, as they batted around.
Whitten. meanwhile, was fantastic until the top of the seventh. Needing just three outs to terminate the game, fatigue showed in the 95-degree, west Texas heat. She faced three batters in the inning, yielding two solo home runs and a deep fly to the wall before Ole Miss head coach Jamie Trachsel was forced to bring in Emilee Boyer in a relief role.
Boyer is the likely starter for the Rebels in Saturday’s winner’s bracket game. She was not impressive, as Boston U. had the go-ahead run at the plate when the double play occurred.
Outfielder Tenley Grisham led Ole Miss at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Pickens finished with a 2-for-3 effort, a home run, two runs scored and a run-batted-in. George led Ole Miss with three RBIs and a home run.
Whitten earned the win in the circle in her long relief role. She worked six innings, allowing three earned runs, two of which were charged to her in the seventh.