TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Ole Miss (34-18, 12-11 SEC) battled back-and-forth with No. 3 Alabama (41-7, 17-6 SEC) for a few innings on Friday before the Crimson Tide took control, ultimately winning 11-7 at Rhoads Stadium.

Anna Borgen was saddled with the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits. Savannah Diederich came on in relief to get three outs, surrendering three runs (one earned) on four hits. Freshman Landyn Bruce closed out the game with two frames, striking out two while allowing one run on four hits.

After the Crimson Tide struck for two first inning runs to take the lead behind Jenna Johnson’s bloop two-run double, the Rebels responded in the third to go ahead for the first time in the series. Tate Whitley led off with an infield single and after Autumn Gillespie reached on an error, Ole Miss strung together three-straight RBI knocks to go ahead.

Jessica Puk got the scoring started with a double to left field, bringing home Paige Smith. Sydney Gutierrez followed with a single up the middle, plating Gillespie, before Abbey Latham slashed a single through the left side as Puk came home to make it 3-2 in favor of the Rebs.

The lead would not last for long, though, as Alabama took advantage of a Rebel error in a crucial spot to score a pair and regain control at 4-3. Ole Miss, however, responded in the top of the fourth, tying the game on a Gillespie single to right, scratching across Whitley from second.

Alabama once again recaptured the momentum quickly, blowing the game open with six runs in the home half of the fourth and adding another in the fifth to make it 11-4.

A Jessica Puk two-run single in the sixth and a Tate Whitley RBI groundout in the seventh cut into the deficit but the rally fell well short as Alabama clinched the series.

Up Next
Ole Miss will close out the series on Saturday against the third-ranked Crimson Tide, squaring off at 11 a.m. CT on the SEC Network.

For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.