Rebels roll by Black Bears 13-2 for sweep Maine softball salvages split

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OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi scored six times in the second inning and pounded out 14 hits overall Sunday on its way to a 13-2 baseball victory over UMaine at Oxford-University Stadium.

The 19th-ranked Rebels completed the sweep of their three-game series after beating the Black Bears 7-5 in Saturday’s game.

In Sunday’s game, sophomore transfer Bobby Brown belted a two-run homer in the second inning to give UMaine a 2-0 lead, but Ole Miss responded by scoring six runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Rebels added two runs in the third and piled on five more in the fourth to take command.

Alex Presley led Ole Miss with a double, two singles and three RBIs, while Mark Wright singled twice with three RBIs.

Ryan Quintal singled and walked for the Bears while Curt Smith singled and scored a run.

UMaine freshman Pat Moran of Hampden took the loss in his first college outing, which lasted only two innings. Bears shortstop Smith committed four errors, which led to five unearned runs.

On Saturday, Jon-Jon Hancock stroked a three-run double to snap a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning and lift the Rebels to victory.

Hancock’s hit came off UMaine reliever Scott Robinson (0-1), who walked two of the first three batters he faced before surrendering Hancock’s double.

Ole Miss had scored three runs to tie the game in the fifth against sophomore starter Nolan Boike. A walk, hit batsman and a bunt single with a throwing error plated the first run, then C.J. Ketchum delivered a two-run single.

Boike surrendered three hits and three earned runs in five innings, striking out three, but walked three and hit two batters.

Freshman third baseman Kevin McAvoy of Brewer sparked UMaine with three singles in his collegiate debut.

Quintal staked UMaine to a 2-0 lead with a first-inning home run, then Joel Barrett, another Brewer product, hit a two-run single to give the Bears a 4-1 lead in the fifth.

The Bears added a run in the seventh on Billy Cather’s sacrifice fly.

(Saturday Afternoon)

Maine 200 020 100 – 5 7 1

Mississippi 100 033 00x – 7 6 0

Boike, Robinson (6) and Parker; Hetland, White (5), Simpson (9) and Brashear

(Sunday Afternoon)

Maine (0-3) 020 000 000 – 2 7 4

Mississippi (6-1) 062 500 00x – 13 14 0

Moran, Mendoza (3), Carroll (4), Balsinde (5), Weymouth (7), Bishop (8), MacDonald (8) and Parker, Pesanell (7); Satterwhite, Rodriguez (5), Stone (8), Lum (9) and Brashear, Basham (8)

Softball

Maine goes 2-2

At Chattanooga, Tenn., the University of Maine won two of four games over the weekend. On Saturday, the Black Bears defeated Miami of Ohio 3-1 and lost to Bowling Green 1-0. On Sunday, Virginia beat Maine 1-0, but the Black Bears bounced back with a 1-0 win over host Tennessee-Chattanooga.

In Saturday’s first game, Sarah Bennis pitched a complete-game over Miami of Ohio and allowed just one run on six hits while striking out five. Kristi Hawkins hit a home run.

In Saturday’s second game, Jenna Balent allowed one run on five hits and struck out four in a loss to Bowling Green.

In Sunday’s first game, the Black Bears were held hitless as Virginia pitcher Erin Horn struck out 16.

Balent allowed just one run on three hits and struck out seven.

In Sunday’s second game, Marguerite Soule drove in the game-winning run in the second inning for Maine as Bennis had eight strikeouts and allowed one hit to earn the win.