March 2, 2007
Box Score
OXFORD, Miss. - Lauren Grill hit a pair of home runs including a leadoff, solo shot in the top of the seventh inning to lead the Ole Miss Rebels to a 6-5 win over Kennesaw State in the Owls first game of the Red & Blue Classic at the Ole Miss Softball Complex on Friday evening.
Grill (2-for-3) hit a two-run blast in the top of the first inning to give Ole Miss (6-12) a 2-0 lead. Kennesaw State starter Brittany Matthews (5-2) hit Emily Sarver (1-for-3) to leadoff the game and Grill followed a batter later with a deep shot to center field.
KSU rallied in the second inning when April Keasler (2-for-4), Sarah Hesterman (2-for-4), Kelsey Kulk (1-for-3) and Amanda Malcom (2-for-4) had four consecutive singles and Klair Wells (1-for-4) drove in a run with a groundout to give the Owls a 3-2 lead.
The Owls (14-6) held the lead until the top of the fifth inning when Mary Jane Callahan (1-for-2), also the Rebels starting pitcher, hit a three-run blast off Matthews. The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week suffered through six harsh innings of work. The southpaw allowed eight hits and six earned runs while walking an uncustomary three batters.
In the Kennesaw State half of the fifth inning, Keasler got her second single of the game and drove home Jennifer Nolan (1-for-4). Hesterman then drove in Keasler with her second hit of the game as the Owls tied the score at five.
Kennesaw State could not capitalize on a golden opportunity to score in the sixth inning. Malcom doubled to leadoff the frame, but was caught in a rundown on a Wells grounder. Wells was able to move to second and after a walk to Keri McKee (0-for-3). Nolan reached on an error to load the bases, but Megan Gant (0-for-4) lined out to end the threat.
The Owls will play Southern Miss in the second game of the Red & Blue Classic at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Kennesaw State will play Alcorn State on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CST and Stephen F. Austin at 1:00 p.m. before concluding the weekend with a Sunday morning game against Coastal Carolina at 10:00 a.m.
