The Ole Miss Rebels will try to stave off elimination Friday night when they face the Oregon Ducks at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. Ole Miss fell into the elimination game after losing 1-0 to Texas Tech on Thursday. Oregon got there via a 4-2 loss to UCLA.
First pitch is set for 8:30 p.m. CT.
Ole Miss (42-20) allowed a brilliant, three-hit, complete-game pitching performance from senior Aliyah Binford to go to waste in its loss to Texas Tech. Against Oregon, expectations are for the Rebels to send either veteran Brianna Lopez (13-5, 2.94 earned run average) or freshman All-American Miali Guachino (16-11, 3.44 earned run average) to the circle. Neither pitched Thursday night and both are well rested. Binford (11-4, 3.40 earned run average) would also certainly be available for some innings, if needed.
Oregon brings an impressive record of 53-9 into Friday night’s game. The Ducks won the Regional in which they hosted by defeating Stanford twice on the final day of the tourney. They hosted Liberty in the Super Regional Round and swept the upstart Flames by scores of 3-2 and 13-1.
Six everyday Ducks are hitting over .300 in the lineup, led by senior outfielder Kedre Luschar’s .443 average. Kai Luschar is also hitting above .400 with a .414 batting average. Yes, the two are sisters, hailing from Carson City, Nevada.
Infielder Rylee McCoy is the center of the Ducks’ power, as she leads the team with 19 home runs and is hitting a whopping .391.
Oregon pitcher Lindsey Grein at work versus UCLA on Thursday at the Women’s College World Series. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Lindsey Grein is the Oregon ace, as she has posted an amazing 29-2 mark this season with a 2.10 earned run average. She is followed by Elise Sokolsky, who owns a record of 17-5 with an earned run average of 2.08. ither could take the circle Friday night for the Ducks.
Grein worked five innings Thursday versus UCLA, gining up five hits and two earned runs. She was relieved by Sokolsky, who pitched the final two innings and yielded two runs on two hits to take the loss in the circle.
The winner of Friday night’s game would advance and survive to play the loser of Friday night’s game between Texas Tech and UCLA on Sunday.
Ole Miss third baseman Ashton Lansdell makes a play on the ball Thursday night at the Women’s College World Series. (Photo: 247Sports)
Friday’s Games:
- Florida vs. Tennessee, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
- Ole Miss vs. Oregon, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Saturday’s Games:
Texas vs. Oklahoma, 2 p.m. (ABC)
Texas Tech vs. UCLA, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
