Ole Miss beats Baylor in NCAA softball regional opener

Published 5:03 pm Friday, May 19, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY — Ole Miss kept Baylor at bay in the opening game of the NCAA Softball Tournament’s Salt Lake City Regional.

Catelyn Riley pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, and Lexie Brady hit a two-run home run as Ole Miss beat Baylor 3-0 on Friday to advance to the winners’ bracket of the regional.

Ole Miss (31-26) will play the winner between Utah and Southern Illinois on Saturday at 2 p.m. Utah and Southern Illinois played later Friday.

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Brady’s home run in the second inning put the Rebels ahead 2-0. Paige Smith added an RBI triple in the fifth, and finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple.

Riley allowed three hits and only one walk in an outstanding outing in the pitcher’s circle. She struck out two batters.

Riley was pulled to start the seventh in favor of Aynslie Furbush. Furbush got the first two batters out, then surrendered a walk and Riley returned to the circle. Riley gave up a hit to bring the tying run to the plate, but got Presleigh Pilon to line out to short to end the game.