No. 21 Ole Miss Softball Falls in Walk-Off Loss at Louisiana

The University of Mississippi softball team, ranked No. 21, fell 8-5 to Louisiana on Saturday afternoon in Lafayette, Louisiana, ending the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational on a disappointing note, according to a game report from Ole Miss athletics.

The Rebels (6-4) jumped ahead early with a two-run first inning. Mackenzie Pickens drew a walk, and Madi George hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season down the right field line. Ole Miss extended its lead to 5-0 in the second inning thanks to strategic small-ball, with key hits and a stolen base from Grace Thompson, who doubled in a run. Taylor Malvin added an RBI groundout later in the inning.

Louisiana, with a 5-2 record entering the game, began chipping away at the Rebels’ lead. The Ragin’ Cajuns scored two runs in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth, narrowing the gap. They tied the game in the sixth inning. The game remained tied at 5-5 until the bottom of the seventh, when Louisiana hit a walk-off home run to secure the win, according to the report.

The Rebels had a chance to retake the lead in the top of the seventh but failed to capitalize. Ole Miss will return home to host Miami on Monday at 1 p.m. CT at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus, and fans are encouraged to join Rebel Rewards for exclusive perks, according to the team’s promotional information.

Ole Miss’s pitching was led by Sage Hoover, who took the loss, while the team’s offensive leaders included Madi George and Grace Thompson. Louisiana’s Brooke Otto and Kennedy Marceaux led their offense with home runs and multiple RBIs, respectively, the report states.

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