OXFORD, Miss. – No. 22 Ole Miss evened the series 1-1 after it took the second extra-inning game, 8-4, over No. 6 Florida at the Ole Miss Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.
 
The Gators (29-7, 3-5 SEC) rallied from a 0-3 deficit with a four-run top of the fifth against the Rebels (23-9, 4-3 SEC). Jaimie Hoover started the rally with a solo home run to left field that led off the inning, while Kendyl Lindaman capped the scoring and put UF ahead 4-3 with a three-run home run.
 
Elizabeth Hightower picked up her first career SEC start in the circle and hurled five-complete innings, while she only gave up three runs, two earned, in the effort. Hightower also picked up a trio of strikeouts during the outing.
 
Kelly Barnhill (19-4) entered the game in the sixth with a 4-3 lead to try and close out the game after she had hurled a program-record 15 innings the previous evening. The Marietta, Ga. native retired the Ole Miss side in order in the sixth, but the Rebels found a way to tie the game in the seventh with a two out bases loaded hit-by-pitch.
 
For the second-consecutive game the Gators and the Rebel entered an extra-inning affair, but this time the home team earned the decision thanks to a two-out walk-off grand slam from Abbey Latham. Relief pitcher Brittany Finney (7-5) picked up the win for Ole Miss after she entered the game for Molly Jacobsen in eighth inning of play.
 
How It Happened – No. 22 Ole Miss – L, 8-4
 

Inning	Score	Play
B-1st	0-1	Kylan Becker broke open the scoring after she crossed home on a miscue by the Gators in the field during Autumn Gillespie's at-bat.
B-3rd	0-2	Becker drove in the Rebels second run of the game with an RBI single to right field that scored pinch-runner Kelsha Loftin. Becker advanced to third on an errant throw to second.
B-3rd	0-3	Abbey Latham singled to left field to push across Becker for the third run of the game.
T-5th	1-3	Hoover put the Gators on the scoreboard with solo home run over the left field wall off of Jacobsen.
T-5th	4-3	Lindaman produced her 12th home run of the season as she sent the 0-1 pitch offered from Jacobsen over the left field wall for a three-run home run.
B-7th	4-4	A two-out bases loaded hit-by-pitch drawn by Autumn Gillespie tied the game and sent the contest into extra innings.
B-8th	8-4	Abbey Latham ended the game with a two-out walk-off grand slam.

 
 
Standout Statistic

• The last time the Gators played in back-to-back extra-inning games occurred in 2013 when Florida played three consecutive extra-inning games against Tennessee in Gainesville.
  • March 15 – vs. Tennessee – W, 6-5 (8)
  • March 16 – vs. Tennessee – L, 3-1 (8)
  • March 17 – vs. Tennessee – W, 5-3 (8)

 
 
Notable Notes

• Gators all-time record against the Rebels is now 49-10 and 22-6 in Oxford.
• Gators are now 9-7 against top-25 opponents this season.
• UF dropped its' first extra-inning game of the season and now holds a 3-1 record in such games.
  • It's the first time this season that UF has played back-to-back extra-inning games.
  • The last time the Gators played in back-to-back extra-inning games occurred in 2013 when played three consecutive against Tennessee in Gainesville.
• With five strikeouts against the Rebels this afternoon, Barnhill upped her career strikeout total to 1,039.
  • She struck out the side in the 7th inning and has now struck out the side 21 times this year.
• The Gators rank second in the nation in total strikeouts with 317 on the season.
• Lindaman reached base-safely streak 35 games.
  • The only game she did not reach base safely was the season opener against Illinois State Feb. 8, 2019.
• Lindaman has also hit 10 home runs in the last 11 games with six occurring against top-25 opponents.
• Jade Caraway is currently on a seven-game hit streak after she went 1-for-3 from the leadoff spot in the lineup today.

 
 
Next Up
 
No. 6 Florida looks to take its first SEC series of the season with a rubber-match game against No. 22 Ole Miss tomorrow at 1 p.m. (ET).
 
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