No. 17 Softball Upsets No. 12 Arizona to Advance to NCAA Tucson Regional Final

TUCSON, Ariz. – The No. 17 Ole Miss softball program upset No. 13 overall seed and NCAA Tucson Regional host Arizona, 10-8, in a wild back-and-forth affair at Hillenbrand Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Rebels (39-17, 11-13 SEC) matched a single game program-high with five home runs in the win and were led by Persy Llamas, who tallied two of the five. Llamas became the first Rebel with a multi-home run game in the NCAA Tournament since Abbey Latham against Long Beach State in 2018. Miali Guachino closed out victory for the Rebels, striking out three Wildcats (46-12, 17-7 Big 12) over three innings.

The Rebels stayed hot from Friday night's win over No. 23 Grand Canyon and landed the first punch of the heavyweight fight, plating four runs in the first inning. Aliyah Binford drove in the game’s opening run with an RBI single. The very next batter was Llamas, who launched a three-run blast into right field, extending the lead to 4-0.

After Arizona swung right back with three in the bottom half, Angelina DeLeon responded with a solo home run in the second, but the Wildcats tallied two runs in both the third and fourth inning to take a 7-5 lead.

Ole Miss would not be denied, though. Llamas homered a second time to spark a fifth-inning rally, then Lexie Brady singled and Mackenzie Pickens drew a hit-by-pitch. Head coach Jamie Trachsel and her staff looked to the bench, calling on the veteran Taylor Roman. The senior delivered in the clutch, launching a three-run home run to left field for a 9-7 advantage.

Miali Guachino entered the game in the fifth inning and promptly retired the Wildcats in order. Arizona looked poised to retake the lead in the following frame and loaded the bases in the sixth, but Guachino escaped the jam without damage.

Lexie Brady added an insurance run with a solo homer in the seventh, becoming the program's all-time single-season home run record holder in the process. The previous record held by DeDe Justice stood for 22 years.

With the pressure on in front of a packed Hillenbrand Stadium, Guachino retook the circle. The host Wildcats mounted a late rally, getting the first two runners on, before a fielder’s choice gave Ole Miss an out. Another fielder’s choice scored a run, cutting the Rebel lead to 10-8 but putting the Rebels on the brink. After another walk, Guachino secured the final out and propelled the Rebels into the Regional final.

Ole Miss will now await their opponent in the regional final, facing the winner of No. 12 Arizona and No. 23 Grand Canyon. The Rebels will have two opportunities to clinch their spot in the NCAA Super Regional, with game one set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

If necessary, the Rebels would play a second game at 9 p.m. CT.

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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.

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Team Stats

Persy Llamas

Lexie Brady

Aliyah Binford

Mackenzie Pickens

Players Mentioned

Lexie Brady

Angelina DeLeon

Miali Guachino

Persy Llamas

Mackenzie Pickens

Taylor Roman

The University of Mississippi Athletics