Catelyn Riley dominates to lead Ole Miss softball over Baylor in NCAA Tournament opener
Ole Miss softball coach Jamie Trachsel said this week that she knew the Rebels wouldn't encounter anything in the NCAA Tournament that they hadn't faced throughout a grueling season in the SEC, which sent 12 of its 13 teams to a regional.
In securing a 3-0 victory over Baylor to open tournament play at Dumke Family Softball Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, the Rebels (31-26) proved Trachsel right.
The Big 12's fourth-placed team couldn't touch starting pitcher Catelyn Riley, who carved up the Bears' lineup. She allowed just one baserunner through the first five innings before suppressing a bases-loaded threat in the sixth. Riley finished with just three hits and a walk against her, striking out a pair of Bears (39-17) in 6.1 innings of work
"Every time she's on the mound, we know we have a chance to win that game," Trachsel said.
Riley achieved that by attacking hitters early, she said. She didn't waste many pitches, adding that getting ahead allowed her to go to her off-speed pitches late in counts.
The Ole Miss defense looked sharp, too – another point Trachsel had harped on in the leadup to the contest. The Rebels committed one error and turned in a few highlight plays, including a nice grab in center field by Jalia Lassiter in the fourth inning.
Ole Miss will take on the winner of Friday's late game between Utah and Southern Illinois at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday. The winner advances to Sunday's regional final. The loser drops into an elimination game on Saturday night.
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One swing enough to get Ole Miss going
The Rebels did not have to wait long to establish control of the game.
After Savana Sikes reached base via a hit-by-pitch in the second inning, catcher Lexie Brady worked a 3-1 count that she did not waste, driving a two-run homer over the center field wall to put the Rebels ahead 2-0.
"I just put the ball in play and it happened to carry," Brady said.
It was just the third homer of the season for Brady, but it provided another example of the lineup depth that has been a key factor in Ole Miss' improvement in recent weeks.
Rebels grab some insurance in the fifth
After Brady's homer, the Bears succeeded in silencing the Ole Miss lineup until the fifth inning, when the top of the order did some damage.
Tate Whitley singled to lead off the inning, and a batter later Paige Smith drove a triple off the wall in left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Ole Miss couldn't drive Smith home from third base with one out thereafter, but that didn't impact the outcome.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss softball beats Baylor to open NCAA Tournament
