Late Rally by Ole Miss Holds Off Softball

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont softball team (7-9) fell just shy of containing the hot bats of visiting Ole Miss (18-11) on Tuesday afternoon at Rose Park.  After working to close the gap to two runs, the Bruins were done in by a late Rebel rally and fell, 10-2.

Ole Miss struck first in the top of the first inning with a run netted on a double to left but strong pitching by freshman Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) held the Rebels to one run.  Belmont kept its opponent off the board through the second inning but Ole Miss struck again in the top of the third inning, adding four to its tally.  The Bruin defense dug in its heels and worked in a pair of squeeze outs to get out of a difficult position.

BU rallied in the bottom of the same, led by a solo homerun over the right fence by sophomore Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas).  Classmate Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Texas) was walked and soon Belmont found a pair of runners in scoring position when sophomore Heather Turner (Rosenburg, Texas) was hit by a pitch and the two advanced on a passed ball.  Junior Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) knocked a single up the middle, scoring BU's second run of the afternoon and cutting the Rebels' lead down to 4-2.

Ole Miss slowly began pulling away, adding a single run in the top of the both of the fifth and sixth innings to increase its lead to 7-2, before exploding in the top of the seventh, tallying three additional runs. 

Ferrell attempted one last rally in the bottom of the same, dropping a single in the middle of the field to push Hollingsworth to second, who reached after was struck by a pitch.  Unfortunately, the pair was left stranded and Belmont could not find an additional run. 

Hollingsworth and Ferrell tallied both of BU's runs in the outing.  

Freshmen Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) and Snodgress, and junior Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.) each saw time inside the circle, combining for four strikeouts.