Cats must beat Ole Miss twice to advance
TUCSON — Mississippi hit five home runs on Saturday to stun host and No. 13 national seed Arizona in the winner’s bracket game of the Tucson Regional.
The Wildcats will need to beat the Rebels twice on Sunday in the Regional Final after coming back Saturday night to advance with a 4-1 victory over Grand Canyon.
OLE MISS POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
UA looked like the road team in the opener, committing two errors in the 1st inning that led to four Ole Miss runs, three on a home run by Persy Llamas off starter Devyn Netz.
Netz hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 1st as Arizona answered with three tallies. Two hits by Kaiah Altmeyer in the 3rd and 4th innings helped allow the Wildcats to grab a 7-5 lead.
ARIZONA POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE (MISSISSIPPI)
Ole Miss however took control of the game in the 5th. Llamas chased Netz with her second home run of the game and pinch-hitter Taylor Roman took reliever Saya Swain deep on a two-strike two-out three-run bomb.
Lexie Brady became the Rebels all-time single-season home run leader (16) with a solo shot in the 7th.
After GCU eliminated Santa Clara, UA sent home the Lopes behind the pitching and hitting of Netz and Miranda Stoddard.
GRAND CANYON POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Stoddard started in the circle and pitched six strong innings, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run. She left in the 7th with two runners on and the tying run at the plate.
Netz relieved and struck out the side to end the game.
UA’s loss to Ole Miss snapped a 23-game regional winning streak that dated back to 2015. The Wildcats have not lost a regional since 2013 at Texas A&M and under the current format have never been in a regional final at home where they needed to win twice to advance.
The victory for the Rebels was their 1st ever over a national seed and it was also the first time in 72 NCAA Tournament games that Arizona lost when scoring at least five runs.
UA and Mississippi will play at 4:35 and if needed a winner-take-all Game 7 will take place 35 minutes following the conclusion of regional Game 6.
Both games can be heard on Freedom 1400 KTUC-AM with Derrick Palmer on the call.
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