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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, April 24
Auburn, Ala.
6 PM
Ole Miss
29-21, 0
6
at
2
Auburn
24-23, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| Auburn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Photo by: Bella Mauritz
Pickens Hits Go-Ahead Eighth Inning Blast as Softball Downs Auburn
4/24/2026 | Softball
AUBURN, Ala. – Ole Miss softball's Mackenzie Pickens delivered a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to propel the Rebels to a 6-2 win at Auburn on Friday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Rebels (29-21, 3-16 SEC) faced adversity as the Tigers (24-23, 3-16 SEC) rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, but Pickens helped spark a four-run eighth inning to pull away.
The early portion of the day was marked by a pitching duel between Emilee Boyer and Tigers starter Ella Harrison, as both pitchers traded zeros through the first four innings. Boyer went a step further, carrying a no-hitter through the first five innings with two strikeouts.
The Rebels finally broke the ice, as Laylonna Applin laced a home run down the left field line to make it 1-0 in the fifth inning.
Persy Llamas continued a big day with a single in the sixth inning that was followed by a Madi George walk. The Rebels battled and were rewarded on a great at-bat from Rachel Connors, who laced up a single up the middle to make it 2-0.
After securing the first out in the sixth inning, Boyer's masterpiece ended with a single from the Tigers. However, Boyer worked around the danger, securing two, line outs to get through the frame.
Ultimately, the Tigers managed to respond in the top of the seventh inning, thanks to single and subsequent home run to tie the game at 2-2. The Rebels turned to Kyra Aycock out of the bullpen after an Auburn double and the senior was composed, generating two foul outs and a ground out to send the game to extra innings.
The Rebels delivered an immediate response to open the eighth inning. Pickens led off the frame and blasted a solo home run to left center field to take the lead for good. From there, Llamas delivered her third hit of the day and Connors kept the inning alive with a single to put runners on the corners. Applin drew a walk to load the bases and the Rebels turned to Grace Thompson off the bench, who worked a critical bases loaded walk to make it 4-2.
The Rebels were then benefactors of an Auburn mistake, as two more runs would come home on an error. Aycock handled business from there in the bottom half of the frame, getting three quick outs to secure the victory.
The Rebels will return to action for game two on Saturday, facing off against Auburn at 2 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
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 (29-21, 3-16 SEC) faced adversity as the Tigers (24-23, 3-16 SEC) rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, but Pickens helped spark a four-run eighth inning to pull away.
The early portion of the day was marked by a pitching duel between Emilee Boyer and Tigers starter Ella Harrison, as both pitchers traded zeros through the first four innings. Boyer went a step further, carrying a no-hitter through the first five innings with two strikeouts.
The Rebels finally broke the ice, as Laylonna Applin laced a home run down the left field line to make it 1-0 in the fifth inning.
Persy Llamas continued a big day with a single in the sixth inning that was followed by a Madi George walk. The Rebels battled and were rewarded on a great at-bat from Rachel Connors, who laced up a single up the middle to make it 2-0.
After securing the first out in the sixth inning, Boyer's masterpiece ended with a single from the Tigers. However, Boyer worked around the danger, securing two, line outs to get through the frame.
Ultimately, the Tigers managed to respond in the top of the seventh inning, thanks to single and subsequent home run to tie the game at 2-2. The Rebels turned to Kyra Aycock out of the bullpen after an Auburn double and the senior was composed, generating two foul outs and a ground out to send the game to extra innings.
The Rebels delivered an immediate response to open the eighth inning. Pickens led off the frame and blasted a solo home run to left center field to take the lead for good. From there, Llamas delivered her third hit of the day and Connors kept the inning alive with a single to put runners on the corners. Applin drew a walk to load the bases and the Rebels turned to Grace Thompson off the bench, who worked a critical bases loaded walk to make it 4-2.
The Rebels were then benefactors of an Auburn mistake, as two more runs would come home on an error. Aycock handled business from there in the bottom half of the frame, getting three quick outs to secure the victory.
The Rebels will return to action for game two on Saturday, facing off against Auburn at 2 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aycock, Kyra (12-9)
L: Ella Harrison (11-12)
Batting:
HR: Pickens, Mackenzie 1 ; Applin, Laylonna 1
RBI: Pickens, Mackenzie 1 ; Connors, Rachel 1 ; Applin, Laylonna 1 ; Thompson, Grace 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pickens, Mackenzie 1 ; Llamas, Persy 1 ; Rosales, Alexa 1 ; Rettiger, Izzy 1 ; Applin, Laylonna 2
Batting:
2B: Kylie Shaw 1 ; AnnaLea Adams 1
HR: McKaela Walker 1
RBI: McKaela Walker 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Haven Roebuck 1 ; McKaela Walker 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ SoftballC/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballLHP/UT
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballHIGHLIGHTS: Softball at Auburn (4-24-2026)
Friday, April 24
HIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs.Southern Miss(04/21/26)
Tuesday, April 21
Madi George Ole Miss All-Time Single-Season Home Run Record
Sunday, April 19
HIGHLIGHTS: Softball vs.North Alabama(04/14/26)
Tuesday, April 14