The Ole Miss Softball team hosted the Ole Miss Classic this past weekend on Feb. 27-March 1. The Rebels played two games against Jacksonville State and two games against the University of Louisiana-Monore; they won all four and outscored their opponents by a margin of 24-3.
Game 1 — vs. Jacksonville State
Ole Miss won 8-0 by run-rule in five innings in their first game on Friday, Feb. 27.
The Rebels started off hot in the first; they had five hits, including a two-run homer from first baseman Persy Llamas. The Rebels got a little lucky after a Kennedy Bunker hit into the circle deflected off the pitcher’s glove and bounced into right field, which drove in another run.
The Rebels then worked two straight walks and a hit-by-pitch to go up 6-0.
Starter Kyra Aycock quickly got two outs in the second, but a double and a walk put runners on first and second. She wiggled out of the jam with her fifth forced ground ball out of the game.
After that, the bats went silent for the Rebels; they only scratched one hit outside of the first inning. On defense, Aycock escaped another jam. This time, a grounder deflected off shortstop Cassie Reasner, but second baseman Mackenzie Pickens backed her up and got the force out at third.
Ole Miss’ offense came alive in the fourth with two singles and two runs to go up 8-0. With the pair of runs, the Rebels were in run-rule territory and needed three more outs with no runs surrendered in the fifth.
Pitcher Lilly Whitten came in for the fifth and ended the game early for the Rebels.
Game 2 — vs. Jacksonville State
Both teams got off to a slow start on Saturday afternoon. Taylor Malvin got the first hit of the game with a bloop single to left field that turned into a double. The Rebels were making solid contact — both Liesl Osteen and Pickens had hard-hit lineouts to left — but there was nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.
In the fourth inning, Jacksonville State pitcher Makenna Moore tossed a slow pitch against Madi George to get ahead in the count. She tried another changeup on the next pitch. This time, George sat back and hit a long home run.
Starter Emilee Boyer had no issue through four innings, but in the fifth, she gave up a single through the right side, and on the next play, Jacksonville State laid down a bunt for a single.
A second bunt advanced both runners. The next Gamecock batter hit the ball right back to Boyer, which deflected off her arm. She managed to get the out at home.
Despite Boyer’s efforts, Jax State tied up the game on a passed ball. The Gamecocks continued to play small and got runners at first and third with a half swing that only went a few feet down the line.
Boyer initially stayed in the game after being hit, but the trainer visited the mound a few plays later. Whitten soon came in and ended the threat. It was 1-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.
The Rebel offense has failed to get Boyer run support this season. She is 3-3 with a sub-2.00 ERA. Because she left the game when it was tied, she was no longer in line for a win-loss decision.
The bats clicked in the next frame. Malvin hit a single, and Pickens knocked a towering fly ball into the wind for a two-run homer to make the score 3-1. Llamas hit a ball 199 feet; it bounced off the wall for a triple.
Ole Miss stole a run after a George walk, and Izzy Rettiger came in to pinch run. She stole second and allowed Tenly Grisham, the pinch runner for Llamas, to score. Rettiger advanced to third on the throw home, but she did not score.
Whitten got the save, and the Rebels earned the 4-1 victory.
Games 3 and 4 — vs. ULM
The Rebels continued their Saturday double header against University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Ole Miss topped the Warhawks 7-1 thanks to a seven-run fourth inning. Reasner started the fourth inning rally with a walk, and Bunker and Taylor Roman followed with singles. Two runs scored on an infield single from Malvin. George capped off the inning with a two-run home run.
Aycock pitched five innings and allowed just one run. Whitten had no trouble closing the game in the last two frames.
The Rebels managed seven hits and two errors. George led the charge on offense, going 2-for-3 in the game.
Ole Miss swept the Classic with a 5-1 victory on Sunday. Pickens’ grand slam was the deciding factor in the game. Boyer needed only 84 pitches for the complete game and only allowed three hits. She had eight strikeouts.
What’s next?
Ole Miss (16-5) will host UT Martin for a double header on Tuesday, March 3. They will begin SEC play with a series against No. 7 Alabama at home this weekend. ESPN+ will stream all of the games.
