From the Wire: Former Ole Miss softball star Kaitlin Lee signs pro contract

Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations | One of the greatest pitchers in Ole Miss history, Kaitlin Lee, is making her way back to the circle this summer. Lee has signed a professional contract with the Florida Vibe and will compete in the team’s inaugural season this summer.

By putting pen to paper, Lee becomes the fifth Rebel in program history to sign and play professionally, joining Madi Osias (Pennsylvania Rebellion, 2016), RT Cantillo (Chicago Bandits, 2014-15), Kylan Becker (Scrap Yard Fastpitch and Athletes Unlimited, 2019-Pres.) and Brittany Finney (Scrap Yard Fastpitch, 2019).

Lee completed the greatest career in the circle in the history of Rebel softball. In just two years, she established herself in the top-10 in eight career program records, ranking second all-time with 41 wins and 14 shutouts, second in ERA with a 2.03 mark, seventh in innings pitched (421.1), sixth in starts (65), fifth in opponent batting average (.240), seventh in complete games (39) and 10th in appearances (79).

She had a breakout junior season garnering national attention. Lee was named a Second Team All-American by Fastpitch News, a member of the NFCA All-South Region Third Team and earned Second Team All-SEC honors. In the circle, she tied the school record for wins in a season with 23, which ranked fourth-best in the SEC and 28th nationally. She was instrumental in the Rebels’ postseason streak, winning seven-straight games as she helped guide Ole Miss to the 2017 SEC Tournament Championship and its first-ever NCAA Super Regional.

As a senior, she tallied 18 wins, making 39 appearances and 32 starts in the circle. Lee shut down one of the nation’s top offenses in Oregon, shutting out the third-ranked Ducks through nine innings with five strikeouts and just four hits allowed to lead the Rebels to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Championship. She once again guided the Rebels to the postseason in 2018, where they advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship Game.

The Florida Vibe is an independent team consisting of 16 athletes (invitation-only) who work in conjunction with the Florida Gulf Coast League (FGCL). Lee is the seventh athlete to sign, joining some of the top fastpitch players in the United States, including outfielder A.J. Andrews, outfielder Falepolima Aviu, catcher Kendyl Lindaman and pitcher Shannon Saile.

Ole Miss men’s tennis falls 4-0 to No. 9 Georgia

Ole Miss Media Relations | No. 43 Ole Miss men’s tennis (11-10, 1-7 SEC) lost 4-0 to No. 9 Georgia (14-5, 6-2 SEC) at home on Friday.

Ole Miss men’s tennis was swept by the top-10 Georgia Bulldogs at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. The Rebels were unable to win a match in singles or doubles. The match was ended when Georgia clinched the victory.

The Rebels faced a tough task versus Georgia’s three ranked doubles teams. The Bulldogs earned a 6-3 win at No. 2 Doubles, followed by a 6-4 win on Court No. 3. No. 12 Finn Reynolds and Lukas Engelhardt trailed No. 65 Tristan McCormick and Hamish Stewart, 5-3, at the time of the double’s stoppage. Georgia took doubles 2-0 to go ahead 1-0 overall in the match.

Georgia swept singles by winning Courts Nos. 1-3 in straight sets. No. 76 Phillip Henning one first, defeating No. 110 Reynolds 6-2, 6-1. No. 17 Stewart put the Bulldogs ahead 3-0 by defeating No. 36 Nikola Slavic 6-1, 6-2, at No. 1 Singles. No. 32 McCormick clinched the match for Georgia by defeating John Hallquist Lithén 6-4, 6-0. Georgia won 4-0.

The bottom three matches went unfinished on Friday due to the early match stoppage. Engelhardt led 6-3, 4-2 over No. 104 Trent Bryde at No. 4 Singles. Engelhardt was the only Rebel to win the first set in singles. Simon Junk trailed in the second set on Court No. 5 and Jakob led 3-0 in the second set after dropping the first on Court No. 6. Cadonau made his first start of the SEC dual season.

Up Next: The Rebels travel to Starkville on Sunday to face rival No. 35 Mississippi State at 1 p.m. CT.

Georgia 4, Ole Miss 0

Doubles

1. No. 65 Tristan McCormick/Hamish Stewart vs. No. 12 Finn Reynolds/Lukas Engelhardt, 5-3 (unfinished)

2. No. 26 Trent Bryde/Phillip Henning def. Jan Soren Hain/Simon Junk, 6-3

3. No. 53 Blake Croyder/Erik Grevelius (UGA) def. Nikola Slavic/John Hallquist Lithén, 6-4

Singles

1. No. 17 Hamish Stewart (UGA) def. No. 36 Nikola Slavic, 6-1, 6-2

2. No. 76 Phillip Henning (UGA) def. No. 110 Finn Reynolds, 6-2, 6-1

3. No. 32 Tristan McCormick (UGA) def. John Hallquist Lithén, 6-4, 6-0

4. Lukas Engelhardt vs. No. 104 Trent Bryde (UGA), 6-3, 4-2 (unfinished)

5. Blake Croyder (UGA) vs. Simon Junk, 6-3, 4-3 (unfinished)

6. Miguel Perez Peña (UGA) vs. Jakob Cadonau, 6-3, 0-3 (unfinished)