
Softball Suffers First Loss of Season Against No. 25 Ole Miss
February 11, 2023 | Softball
PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO – The Carolina softball team suffered its first loss of the season on Friday night, falling to No. 25 Ole Miss 6-1 during the second day of the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
The Tar Heels (2-1) had three hits in the matchup, highlighted by a solo homerun from Kiersten Licea, Carolina's first long ball of the season and only RBI of the game.
Destiny Middleton had the Tar Heels' other two hits, going 2-of-3 at the plate.
Carlie Myrtle suffered her first loss of the season in the circle, allowing three earned runs, 5 hits, a walk and tallying a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
Lilli Backes, who started the game, went three innings, including striking out two Rebels in the first, while allowing one earned run and three hits.
Bailey McCachren and Talia Hannappel pitched the remaining 1.2 innings in relief to close out the game.
Carolina got on the board early behind Licea's home run in the first inning. Ole Miss tied the game up in the second inning, before scoring an unearned run in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead.
The Rebels' bats got hot in the top of the sixth, with the team tallying four hits, two for extra bases, and adding on three more runs to seal the victory.
The Tar Heels will look to rebound on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET when they face No. 3 Oklahoma State in Carolina's final game in Mexico.
Stay up to date with Carolina Softball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
The Tar Heels (2-1) had three hits in the matchup, highlighted by a solo homerun from Kiersten Licea, Carolina's first long ball of the season and only RBI of the game.
Destiny Middleton had the Tar Heels' other two hits, going 2-of-3 at the plate.
Carlie Myrtle suffered her first loss of the season in the circle, allowing three earned runs, 5 hits, a walk and tallying a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work.
Lilli Backes, who started the game, went three innings, including striking out two Rebels in the first, while allowing one earned run and three hits.
Bailey McCachren and Talia Hannappel pitched the remaining 1.2 innings in relief to close out the game.
Carolina got on the board early behind Licea's home run in the first inning. Ole Miss tied the game up in the second inning, before scoring an unearned run in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead.
The Rebels' bats got hot in the top of the sixth, with the team tallying four hits, two for extra bases, and adding on three more runs to seal the victory.
The Tar Heels will look to rebound on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET when they face No. 3 Oklahoma State in Carolina's final game in Mexico.
Stay up to date with Carolina Softball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aynslie Furbush (1-0)
L: Myrtle, Carlie (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Savana Sikes 1 ; Keila Kamoku 1
3B: Jalia Lassiter 1
RBI: Tate Whitley 1 ; Mya Stevenson 1 ; Keila Kamoku 2 ; Jalia Lassiter 1
SF: Paige Smith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Savana Sikes 1 ; Aynslie Furbush 1 ; Mikayla Allee 1 ; Keila Kamoku 1 ; Jalia Lassiter 2
SB: Nyomi Jones 1 ; Jalia Lassiter 2
CS: Tenly Grisham 1
HBP: Aynslie Furbush 2

Batting:
HR: Licea, Kiersten 1
RBI: Licea, Kiersten 1
SH: Myrtle, Carlie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Licea, Kiersten 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
Players Mentioned
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