The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, April 4
Columbia, S.C.
5 PM
Ole Miss
at
South Carolina
No. 15 Softball Heads East to Face No. 6 South Carolina
4/3/2025 | Softball
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 15 Ole Miss softball program hits the road for one of their biggest tests yet, heading east to face No. 6 South Carolina for a three-game set this weekend.
The Rebels (28-7, 5-4 SEC) face off with the consensus top-10 Gamecocks (28-7, 4-5 SEC) for three games, beginning with a 5 p.m. CT contest on SEC Network Plus on Friday. The remaining two games will both be televised on SEC Network, as the Rebels play at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday and 2 p.m. CT on Sunday.
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 nine doubles, three triples, five home runs, 33 RBI and slugging .614, while also holding a 2.54 ERA through 13 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 a career-high 13 home runs and 35 RBI in her breakout junior campaign and has reached new heights in 2025.
The power surge has continued for Brady, who is hitting .395 with a team-high 12 home runs and 33 RBI. After starting the season 0-11 at Florida Atlantic, Brady has surged to a .457 batting average in the 29 games since and has 11 home runs in her last 21 games.
Brady continues to pound the ball at the plate and enters the weekend following back-to-back games with a home run, something she has done three times this season. Additionally, Brady at least one extra-base hit in 15 of her last 21 games played.
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 12-6 with a 2.11 ERA (102.2 IP) and has struck out 144 batters, which leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation. Guachino has tallied 10 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 leading the Rebels in total RBI (35), 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 .351 with five home runs and 24 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.
NEW BLOOD
The Rebels feature a number of new faces in 2025, as the team welcomes 16 newcomers, compared to 10 returners to the roster. Eight of the 16 are true freshmen, while the remaining half are transfers. Despite this, the Rebels still have an experienced lineup, with 11 seniors and several transfers with plenty of NCAA Tournament experience.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Under first-year head coach Ashley Chastain, the Gamecocks have been one the most pleasant surprises in the nation, well exceeding their initial last place vote in the SEC preseason poll to become a consensus top-10 team in the country entering the month of April.
At 28-7, the Gamecocks boast wins over numerous ranked programs, including Clemson, Duke (three), Georgia (two), LSU (two), Texas Tech (two) and Virginia (two). Chastain took the reins of the program in the offseason, after five successful seasons at Charlotte, where she won 154 games.
The breakout star of the season has been Arianna Rodi, who is hitting a sizzling .378 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI to lead the team in the latter two categories. However, the offense is very balanced, with seven starters hitting over .300. Quincee Lilo leads the bunch with a .434 batting average and 23 RBI.
The rotation features a trio of big-time pitchers, as Jori Heard, Sam Gress and Nealy Lamb see most of the action. Heard leads the bunch with an 11-2 record and 2.56 ERA (87.1 IP). Lamb has been the most dynamic strikeout pitcher for the Gamecocks, tallying 64 over 49.2 innings.
The last two series between the two sides have gone the way of the visitor, which each earning respective sweeps in 2022 and 2024. In fact, the Gamecocks have not beaten Ole Miss in Columbia since 2019, while the Rebels have not beaten South Carolina in Oxford since 2021.
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 (28-7, 5-4 SEC) face off with the consensus top-10 Gamecocks (28-7, 4-5 SEC) for three games, beginning with a 5 p.m. CT contest on SEC Network Plus on Friday. The remaining two games will both be televised on SEC Network, as the Rebels play at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday and 2 p.m. CT on Sunday.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss begins a gauntlet of nine games against current top-10 teams and 15 of their remaining 16 games against ranked programs with a three-game set at No. 6 South Carolina.
- The Rebels will match up against former pitching coach Ashley Chastain (2018-19) for the first time since she became a head coach (Charlotte or South Carolina).
- Lexie Brady remains one of the hottest hitters in the SEC, hitting 11 home runs in her last 21 games and has hit .457 with all 12 of her home runs since opening the season 0-for-11.
- The Rebel freshmen have been dynamic with Miali Guachino ranks eighth in the nation in strikeouts (144), and Persy Llamas leads the team in RBI (34). Mackenzie Pickens also recently earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
- Llamas continues to be a force at the plate, reaching safely in 30 of 35 collegiate games played.
- At 144 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 eighth.
- The Rebels have been adept at responding to a loss, winning all six games following a loss and outscoring opponents 44-10.
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 nine doubles, three triples, five home runs, 33 RBI and slugging .614, while also holding a 2.54 ERA through 13 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 a career-high 13 home runs and 35 RBI in her breakout junior campaign and has reached new heights in 2025.
The power surge has continued for Brady, who is hitting .395 with a team-high 12 home runs and 33 RBI. After starting the season 0-11 at Florida Atlantic, Brady has surged to a .457 batting average in the 29 games since and has 11 home runs in her last 21 games.
Brady continues to pound the ball at the plate and enters the weekend following back-to-back games with a home run, something she has done three times this season. Additionally, Brady at least one extra-base hit in 15 of her last 21 games played.
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 12-6 with a 2.11 ERA (102.2 IP) and has struck out 144 batters, which leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation. Guachino has tallied 10 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 leading the Rebels in total RBI (35), 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 .351 with five home runs and 24 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.
NEW BLOOD
The Rebels feature a number of new faces in 2025, as the team welcomes 16 newcomers, compared to 10 returners to the roster. Eight of the 16 are true freshmen, while the remaining half are transfers. Despite this, the Rebels still have an experienced lineup, with 11 seniors and several transfers with plenty of NCAA Tournament experience.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Under first-year head coach Ashley Chastain, the Gamecocks have been one the most pleasant surprises in the nation, well exceeding their initial last place vote in the SEC preseason poll to become a consensus top-10 team in the country entering the month of April.
At 28-7, the Gamecocks boast wins over numerous ranked programs, including Clemson, Duke (three), Georgia (two), LSU (two), Texas Tech (two) and Virginia (two). Chastain took the reins of the program in the offseason, after five successful seasons at Charlotte, where she won 154 games.
The breakout star of the season has been Arianna Rodi, who is hitting a sizzling .378 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI to lead the team in the latter two categories. However, the offense is very balanced, with seven starters hitting over .300. Quincee Lilo leads the bunch with a .434 batting average and 23 RBI.
The rotation features a trio of big-time pitchers, as Jori Heard, Sam Gress and Nealy Lamb see most of the action. Heard leads the bunch with an 11-2 record and 2.56 ERA (87.1 IP). Lamb has been the most dynamic strikeout pitcher for the Gamecocks, tallying 64 over 49.2 innings.
The last two series between the two sides have gone the way of the visitor, which each earning respective sweeps in 2022 and 2024. In fact, the Gamecocks have not beaten Ole Miss in Columbia since 2019, while the Rebels have not beaten South Carolina in Oxford since 2021.
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
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballWhy Not Us? - Lexie Brady and Aliyah Binford (Softball)
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