The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, April 17
Athens, Ga.
5 PM
Ole Miss
at
Georgia
No. 17 Softball Battles No. 23 Georgia in SEC Series
4/16/2025 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 17 Ole Miss softball program continues the home stretch of the 2025 season, traveling east to face No. 23 Georgia this weekend.
The Rebels (31-11, 7-8 SEC) open the series against the Bulldogs (27-15, 5-12 SEC) on Thursday at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
Game two is set for Friday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus, while the finale will also be televised on the SEC Network at 11 a.m. CT.
LEADING OFF
ALL EYES ON ALIYAH
Two-way star Aliyah Binford joins the Rebels for her final season of eligibility after a standout career in the circle and at the plate at Baylor and has generated talk since arriving in Oxford. Binford has gotten off to a .351 start, hitting 11 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 40 RBI and slugging .612, while also holding an 8-1 record and 3.04 ERA through 16 appearances in the circle.
Her efforts in the circle have caught national attention and placed her in the Ole Miss record books after being named the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 3. Binford delivered back-to-back complete games that week, beginning with a one-hitter against Nicholls and ending the week with the program's first solo no-hitter since 2014 in a win over Murray State.
BRADY BOMBS
Perhaps the most critical bat for the Rebels is the veteran Lexie Brady, who brings a powerful bat to the middle of the lineup. Brady launched 13 home runs and 35 RBI in her breakout junior campaign and has surged to even new heights in 2025.
The power surge has continued for Brady, who is hitting .343 with a career-high 14 home runs and 39 RBI. After starting the season 0-11 at Florida Atlantic, Brady has surged to a .385 batting average in the 36 games since and has 13 home runs in her last 28 games.
Brady continues to pound the ball at the plate and has at least one extra-base hit in 16 of her last 28 games played. Her 14 home runs are the most by any Rebel since 2007 and stand just one away from the single-season record set by DeDe Justice in 2003 (15).
A STAR IS BORN
Freshman Miali Guachino has burst onto the scene as one of the top freshman pitchers in the nation and an early candidate for national freshman of the year. The Pala, Calif., native has wasted little time in becoming a star, as she broke the Rebels single-game strikeout record with 19 at Southern Miss, shattering the old record of 15. She followed that up with her first collegiate no-hitter against Samford and SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors on Mar. 18.
Guachino enters the weekend at 13-8 with a 2.57 ERA (117.0 IP) and has struck out 159 batters, which is third in the SEC and ranks 16th in the nation. Guachino has tallied 11 complete games, six solo shutouts and has four performances with 10 or more strikeouts.
FRESHMAN SENSATION
Persy Llamas has been a revelation in her first season in Oxford, from the moment she stepped on a field. From her very first collegiate at-bat, where she hit a pinch hit three-run home run to take the lead in a 3-2 win over No. 25 Clemson to now ranking second on the Rebels in total RBI (39), Llamas has proven to be a highly capable batter at first base.
Clutch play from Llamas has continued in SEC play, as the freshman hit a go-ahead, solo home run to power the Rebels past Missouri in game two and clinch the series. As a result, Llamas was named the SEC's Co-Freshman of the Week on Apr. 1.
Llamas opened her collegiate career with 81 at-bats without a strikeout, good for the most by a Rebel since Hailey Lunderman in 2016 and remains one of the most difficult to strikeout in the nation.
MACK ATTACK
Freshman infielder Mackenzie Pickens recorded a breakout performance en route to SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 24. Pickens hit .600 over four games at the Rocket City Softball Showcase, tallying a home run, a double, six RBI and two stolen bases.
The Flowery Branch, Ga., native has adjusted to the college game quickly, hitting .342 with five home runs and 26 RBI, while becoming the first SEC Freshman of the Week from Ole Miss since Blaise Biringer in 2021.
MEETING OF THE MINDS
Joining head coach Jamie Trachsel in 2025 are a highly accomplished trio of new coaches, who bring decades of championship experience to Oxford.
A longtime head coach at Missouri, Ehren Earleywine returns to the college game after reaching three Women's College World Series while in Columbia. Earleywine recorded nearly 600 wins over 14 seasons and helped develop countless All-American, All-Region and All-Conference student athletes.
One of the most successful and highly decorated pitchers in NCAA history, Nancy Evans joins as the team's pitching coach. Evans won three national championships in her playing career at the University of Arizona (1994-98) and still holds the NCAA record with a .939 career winning percentage (124-8 overall record). Last season, Evans served on staff at UIC as the Flames' pitching coach, where she helped UIC post a 3.43 team ERA, its best mark since 2018.
A brilliant recruiter and offensive mind, Bobby Buchanan joins the Rebels after a stint at Texas A&M, where he was the director of player development for their NCAA Super Regional squad.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
The No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs are seeking a late surge in SEC play, entering the weekend at 27-15 and 5-12 in SEC play. A 2024 Super Regional qualifier, the Bulldogs are seeking to recapture that form, but are 2-7 over their last nine games.
Nevertheless, head coach Tony Baldwin continues to have success in his fourth year at the helm, having already won 155 games. Georgia boasts ranked wins over LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Ohio State and Alabama.
Georgia features a balanced offense that hits .301 as a unit, but are primarily led by Jaydyn Goodwin and Sarah Gordon. Goodwin leads the team at .362 with eight home runs and 37 RBI, while Gordon hits at a .349 clip, with eight home runs and 40 RBI. Tyler Ellison (seven home runs) is also a key power threat in the lineup.
Pitching has seen flashes for the Bulldogs, who primarily rely on two pitchers - California transfer Randi Roelling and North Carolina transfer Lilli Backes. Backes (11-7, 3.75 ERA) leads the duo with 100 strikeouts, while Roelling (8-6, 3.25 ERA) limits opposing batters to a .225 batting average against.
This weekend marks the final home regular season series of the year for Georgia, who hold a 19-8 mark in Athens. The Bulldogs will also be the host of the 2025 SEC Tournament.
While Georgia holds a large lead in the all-time ledger, the series has shifted in the Rebels favor over the years, as head coach Jamie Trachsel is 5-5 in 10 games against Georgia, compared to the rest of the program's history of 11-48. Trachsel remains the only Rebel head coach to earn a three-game series win in Athens.
This weekend represents a homecoming for director of operations Savana Sikes, who returns to Athens for the first time as a member of the Rebels coaching staff.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
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 @olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
The Rebels (31-11, 7-8 SEC) open the series against the Bulldogs (27-15, 5-12 SEC) on Thursday at 5 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
Game two is set for Friday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus, while the finale will also be televised on the SEC Network at 11 a.m. CT.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss continues their run of 12 straight games against top-25 SEC opponents with three games at No. 23 Georgia.
- A series win of any kind would give the Rebels their most victories in a single season since 2022.
- Jaden Pone enters the weekend on fire, hitting .583 in the month of April. Six of her 12 multi-hit games have come in SEC play, including a 4-for-4 day vs. No. 6 Florida.
- Lexie Brady remains one of the hottest hitters in the SEC, hitting 13 home runs in her last 28 games and has hit .385 with all 14 of her home runs since opening the season 0-for-11.
- The Rebel freshmen have been dynamic with Miali Guachino ranks 16th in the nation in strikeouts (159), and Persy Llamas ranks second on the team in RBI (39). Mackenzie Pickens also recently earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
- Llamas continues to be a force at the plate, reaching safely in 35 of 42 collegiate games played.
- At 159 strikeouts, Guachino already has the most strikeouts in a single season by a Rebel since Molly Jacobsen (166) in 2019. Guachino recently entered the top-10 single season list at Ole Miss and currently stands in fifth.
ALL EYES ON ALIYAH
Two-way star Aliyah Binford joins the Rebels for her final season of eligibility after a standout career in the circle and at the plate at Baylor and has generated talk since arriving in Oxford. Binford has gotten off to a .351 start, hitting 11 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 40 RBI and slugging .612, while also holding an 8-1 record and 3.04 ERA through 16 appearances in the circle.
Her efforts in the circle have caught national attention and placed her in the Ole Miss record books after being named the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 3. Binford delivered back-to-back complete games that week, beginning with a one-hitter against Nicholls and ending the week with the program's first solo no-hitter since 2014 in a win over Murray State.
BRADY BOMBS
Perhaps the most critical bat for the Rebels is the veteran Lexie Brady, who brings a powerful bat to the middle of the lineup. Brady launched 13 home runs and 35 RBI in her breakout junior campaign and has surged to even new heights in 2025.
The power surge has continued for Brady, who is hitting .343 with a career-high 14 home runs and 39 RBI. After starting the season 0-11 at Florida Atlantic, Brady has surged to a .385 batting average in the 36 games since and has 13 home runs in her last 28 games.
Brady continues to pound the ball at the plate and has at least one extra-base hit in 16 of her last 28 games played. Her 14 home runs are the most by any Rebel since 2007 and stand just one away from the single-season record set by DeDe Justice in 2003 (15).
A STAR IS BORN
Freshman Miali Guachino has burst onto the scene as one of the top freshman pitchers in the nation and an early candidate for national freshman of the year. The Pala, Calif., native has wasted little time in becoming a star, as she broke the Rebels single-game strikeout record with 19 at Southern Miss, shattering the old record of 15. She followed that up with her first collegiate no-hitter against Samford and SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors on Mar. 18.
Guachino enters the weekend at 13-8 with a 2.57 ERA (117.0 IP) and has struck out 159 batters, which is third in the SEC and ranks 16th in the nation. Guachino has tallied 11 complete games, six solo shutouts and has four performances with 10 or more strikeouts.
FRESHMAN SENSATION
Persy Llamas has been a revelation in her first season in Oxford, from the moment she stepped on a field. From her very first collegiate at-bat, where she hit a pinch hit three-run home run to take the lead in a 3-2 win over No. 25 Clemson to now ranking second on the Rebels in total RBI (39), Llamas has proven to be a highly capable batter at first base.
Clutch play from Llamas has continued in SEC play, as the freshman hit a go-ahead, solo home run to power the Rebels past Missouri in game two and clinch the series. As a result, Llamas was named the SEC's Co-Freshman of the Week on Apr. 1.
Llamas opened her collegiate career with 81 at-bats without a strikeout, good for the most by a Rebel since Hailey Lunderman in 2016 and remains one of the most difficult to strikeout in the nation.
MACK ATTACK
Freshman infielder Mackenzie Pickens recorded a breakout performance en route to SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 24. Pickens hit .600 over four games at the Rocket City Softball Showcase, tallying a home run, a double, six RBI and two stolen bases.
The Flowery Branch, Ga., native has adjusted to the college game quickly, hitting .342 with five home runs and 26 RBI, while becoming the first SEC Freshman of the Week from Ole Miss since Blaise Biringer in 2021.
MEETING OF THE MINDS
Joining head coach Jamie Trachsel in 2025 are a highly accomplished trio of new coaches, who bring decades of championship experience to Oxford.
A longtime head coach at Missouri, Ehren Earleywine returns to the college game after reaching three Women's College World Series while in Columbia. Earleywine recorded nearly 600 wins over 14 seasons and helped develop countless All-American, All-Region and All-Conference student athletes.
One of the most successful and highly decorated pitchers in NCAA history, Nancy Evans joins as the team's pitching coach. Evans won three national championships in her playing career at the University of Arizona (1994-98) and still holds the NCAA record with a .939 career winning percentage (124-8 overall record). Last season, Evans served on staff at UIC as the Flames' pitching coach, where she helped UIC post a 3.43 team ERA, its best mark since 2018.
A brilliant recruiter and offensive mind, Bobby Buchanan joins the Rebels after a stint at Texas A&M, where he was the director of player development for their NCAA Super Regional squad.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
The No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs are seeking a late surge in SEC play, entering the weekend at 27-15 and 5-12 in SEC play. A 2024 Super Regional qualifier, the Bulldogs are seeking to recapture that form, but are 2-7 over their last nine games.
Nevertheless, head coach Tony Baldwin continues to have success in his fourth year at the helm, having already won 155 games. Georgia boasts ranked wins over LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Ohio State and Alabama.
Georgia features a balanced offense that hits .301 as a unit, but are primarily led by Jaydyn Goodwin and Sarah Gordon. Goodwin leads the team at .362 with eight home runs and 37 RBI, while Gordon hits at a .349 clip, with eight home runs and 40 RBI. Tyler Ellison (seven home runs) is also a key power threat in the lineup.
Pitching has seen flashes for the Bulldogs, who primarily rely on two pitchers - California transfer Randi Roelling and North Carolina transfer Lilli Backes. Backes (11-7, 3.75 ERA) leads the duo with 100 strikeouts, while Roelling (8-6, 3.25 ERA) limits opposing batters to a .225 batting average against.
This weekend marks the final home regular season series of the year for Georgia, who hold a 19-8 mark in Athens. The Bulldogs will also be the host of the 2025 SEC Tournament.
While Georgia holds a large lead in the all-time ledger, the series has shifted in the Rebels favor over the years, as head coach Jamie Trachsel is 5-5 in 10 games against Georgia, compared to the rest of the program's history of 11-48. Trachsel remains the only Rebel head coach to earn a three-game series win in Athens.
This weekend represents a homecoming for director of operations Savana Sikes, who returns to Athens for the first time as a member of the Rebels coaching staff.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
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 @olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
Players Mentioned
RHP/INF
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C/UT
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RHP
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LHP/UT
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INF
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UT
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