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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, April 30
Oxford, Miss.
6 PM
Ole Miss
vs
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Mississippi State
Softball Hosts No. 16 Mississippi State for Regular Season Finale
4/29/2026 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss softball program concludes the regular season by hosting No. 16 Mississippi State for a three-game series at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium.
The Rebels (30-22, 4-17 SEC) return home on the heels of a key series win at Auburn to host the Bulldogs (36-15, 8-13 SEC) for three games. Game one is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. CT and game two is set for Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Both games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
The finale is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. CT and will be televised on the SEC Network. The game will also honor the graduating senior class, who will compete in Oxford one final time.
LEADING OFF
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
With just three games left in SEC play, the Rebels are closing in on postseason play, while continuing its daunting schedule. The Rebels own the second-most difficult schedule in nation, trailing only Arkansas.
Ole Miss has three remaining games against Mississippi State. While the Rebels are guaranteed to play on day one of the SEC Tournament, the Rebels can occupy any of seeds 12-14.
The Rebels have already played 18 games against the RPI Top-25 and 23 games against the Top-50, with several other teams sitting just outside the top-50. The Rebels will face the No. 16 RPI team (Mississippi State) to conclude the regular season.
RED HOT REBS
The Rebel offense is surging heading into the final three games of the regular season. Ole Miss tallied eight home runs in the series against No. 13 Texas A&M, good for its largest home run total in an SEC series in program history and added seven at No. 15 LSU.
Additionally, freshman Madi George made history, becoming the first Rebel tally a multi-home run game in an SEC game since Paige Smith in 2021 and the first Rebel freshman to accomplish the same feat since Madi Osias in 2013. George did it a second time in the series at LSU.
Several Rebels are heating up, including Cassie Reasner, who is hitting .389 with three home runs and eight RBI over the last 10 games. Kennedy Bunker is also swinging a hot bat, hitting .400 at LSU and hitting .324 with three home runs and eight RBI over her last 10 games. Laylonna Applin is also on a 12-game on-base streak, hitting .351 with three home rus over that span.
NO HARD KNOX
The Rebels made history on March 28, securing its first ever series win in Knoxville in taking two of three games from No. 4 Tennessee from Mar. 27 to Mar. 29.
The series was marked by tremendous pitching and defense from the Rebels. Emilee Boyer led the way with a complete game victory in game one, while Kyra Aycock outdueled Lady Vols All-American pitching Karlyn Pickens for another complete game victory in game two. On defense, the Rebels backed up their pitchers, generating four double plays alongside tremendous catches from Laylonna Applin and Emilee Boyer.
On offense, the Rebels were powered by home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Madi George, as well as .333 hitting from Persy Llamas and .286 hitting from Applin.
NATIONAL NODS
Freshman Madi George took home a clean sweep of the national freshman of the week honors on Tuesday, being named D1Softball & Softball on SI's National Freshman of the Week and Softball America's Freshman Star of the Week.
George hit a blazing .636 with three home runs and 10 RBI over a 3-1 week for the Rebels, including a multi-home run game in the win over Southern Miss and five RBI in game two at Auburn.
Additionally, George was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week, joining last season's freshman duo of Mackenzie Pickens and Persy Llamas to earn the award as a Rebel.
FINDING THE FORMULA
The Rebels have found their success when the two middle of the order hitters, Persy Llamas and Madi George, are able to drive in runs. The Rebels are 16-6 when Llamas tallies an RBI and 14-16 when she does not, while the Rebels are 18-9 when George tallies an RBI and 11-14 when she does not.
Additionally, if only one of the two drive in a run, the Rebels are 25-12 in those games and 5-10 overall when neither tallies an RBI.
ACT TWO
Persy Llamas took the SEC by storm as a freshman and returns to anchor an offense with plenty of potent bats in 2026. Llamas not only hit .354 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and 55 RBI last season, while striking out only 11 times, but also matched teammate Aliyah Binford in setting a new single-season RBI record at Ole Miss that has since been broken by Madi George in 2026.
Her efforts across the postseason were heroic. Llamas went from hitting a three-run blast against No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament win, to tallying three home runs in three games against No. 12 Arizona to secure the NCAA Regional, to driving in the first two runs ever scored by the Rebels in a Women's College World Series against No. 16 Oregon. Llamas took home All-SEC Second Team and NFCA All-South Region Second Team honors following the season.
As a result of her achievements, the nation has paid attention in 2026. Llamas was tabbed to the All-SEC Preseason Team, as well as earning a top-100 player and top-10 player at first base nod from Softball America this offseason.
This season, Llamas has kept pace, hitting .392 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 38 RBI through 52 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
Llamas already has eyes on the all-time record books at Ole Miss, standing just three home runs away from entering the top-10 in program history. Additionally, her .993 fielding percentage at first base has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
A STAR IS BORN
After multiple NFCA All-Region honorees from last season's freshman class, the Rebels have unearthed another freshman star in Madi George.
George has quickly taken over as the cleanup hitter in the early portion of her college career, hitting .400 with 21 home runs, 29 total extra-base hits, 56 RBI and 27 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, slugging percentage and OBP.
George broke the all-time single season program home run record at Ole Miss against No. 15 LSU, originally held by Lexie Brady in 2025 (17). From there, George (125) broke the total bases record held by Aliyah Binford in 2025 (122) last week against Southern Miss. George added another single-season mark to her ledger, breaking Aliyah Binford & Persy Llamas' shared RBI record of 55, by recording her 56th RBI of the season at Auburn.
George's work has begun to generate national attention. George was one of seven from the SEC to be tabbed to the NFCA's Top-25 Finalists for the National Freshman of the Year award. George is just the third Rebel to ever be named to the list, joining Miali Guachino in 2025 and Hailey Lunderman in 2016. George added more awards with a trio of National Player of the Week honors last week.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
As has been the case in recent seasons, head coach Samantha Ricketts leads a strong Mississippi State side that is built on its pitching. The Bulldogs are 36-15 and 8-13 in SEC play, seeking to end the regular season on a high note, despite losing seven of its last 10 games.
The Mississippi State rotation has been built on two key transfer additions this season in former Chattanooga right-hander and senior Peja Goold and former Troy left-hander and junior Alyssa Faircloth. The Bulldogs rely on both heavily, with each tallying over 130 innings pitched. Goold leads the way at 15-10 with a 2.15 ERA and 159 strikeouts, while Faircloth is 11-5 with a 2.56 ERA and 210 strikeouts. Another transfer, former Middle Tennessee right-hander Leila Ammon also factors into the equation, going 8-0 with a 1.70 ERA over 53.2 innings pitched.
The offense has been streaky, but when on are very dangerous. Led by seniors Kiara Sells and Nadia Barbary, the Bulldogs are hitting at a .285 clip, but just .223 in SEC play so far. Sells is rolling, hitting .366 with 13 home runs and 29 RBI, while Barbary stands at .335 hitting with 12 home runs and 36 RBI.
Mississippi State stands firmly in the potential race to host an NCAA Regional, holding an RPI of No. 16 in the nation. The Bulldogs have won key games over Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and hold series wins over LSU and South Carolina.
Ultimately, the Bulldogs have found the most success when the pitching is on point. All but one SEC win for Mississippi State has seen it hold its opponents to three runs or less. On the flip side of the coin, the Bulldogs have scored just 59 runs over 21 SEC games, averaging 2.81 runs per contest.
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 (30-22, 4-17 SEC) return home on the heels of a key series win at Auburn to host the Bulldogs (36-15, 8-13 SEC) for three games. Game one is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. CT and game two is set for Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Both games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
The finale is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. CT and will be televised on the SEC Network. The game will also honor the graduating senior class, who will compete in Oxford one final time.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss is set to wrap up the regular season this week, hosting No. 16 Mississippi State for three games.
- Freshman Madi George (21) set the single season Ole Miss home run record last week, passing Lexie Brady (17 - 2025). George now has 11 home runs in her last 12 games and also set the total bases record (125) in the win over Southern Miss and RBI record (56) at Auburn.
- George enters the weekend as reigning National Freshman of the Week across D1Softball, Softball America and Softball on SI's publications.
- The Rebels have hit 75 home runs in 2026, averaging 1.44 home runs per game and setting a new program-record, passing last season's mark (67). Ole Miss ranks 20th nationally in the figure.
- Defense has become paramount for the Rebels, who are 18-7 when they don't make an error, versus 12-15 when making one or more errors.
- The Rebels have generated 27 double plays this season, ranking 12th in the nation and third in the SEC. The program record is 28, set in 2017.
- The Rebels are 19-4 this season when issuing just two walks or less, compared to 11-18 otherwise.
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
With just three games left in SEC play, the Rebels are closing in on postseason play, while continuing its daunting schedule. The Rebels own the second-most difficult schedule in nation, trailing only Arkansas.
Ole Miss has three remaining games against Mississippi State. While the Rebels are guaranteed to play on day one of the SEC Tournament, the Rebels can occupy any of seeds 12-14.
The Rebels have already played 18 games against the RPI Top-25 and 23 games against the Top-50, with several other teams sitting just outside the top-50. The Rebels will face the No. 16 RPI team (Mississippi State) to conclude the regular season.
RED HOT REBS
The Rebel offense is surging heading into the final three games of the regular season. Ole Miss tallied eight home runs in the series against No. 13 Texas A&M, good for its largest home run total in an SEC series in program history and added seven at No. 15 LSU.
Additionally, freshman Madi George made history, becoming the first Rebel tally a multi-home run game in an SEC game since Paige Smith in 2021 and the first Rebel freshman to accomplish the same feat since Madi Osias in 2013. George did it a second time in the series at LSU.
Several Rebels are heating up, including Cassie Reasner, who is hitting .389 with three home runs and eight RBI over the last 10 games. Kennedy Bunker is also swinging a hot bat, hitting .400 at LSU and hitting .324 with three home runs and eight RBI over her last 10 games. Laylonna Applin is also on a 12-game on-base streak, hitting .351 with three home rus over that span.
NO HARD KNOX
The Rebels made history on March 28, securing its first ever series win in Knoxville in taking two of three games from No. 4 Tennessee from Mar. 27 to Mar. 29.
The series was marked by tremendous pitching and defense from the Rebels. Emilee Boyer led the way with a complete game victory in game one, while Kyra Aycock outdueled Lady Vols All-American pitching Karlyn Pickens for another complete game victory in game two. On defense, the Rebels backed up their pitchers, generating four double plays alongside tremendous catches from Laylonna Applin and Emilee Boyer.
On offense, the Rebels were powered by home runs from Kennedy Bunker and Madi George, as well as .333 hitting from Persy Llamas and .286 hitting from Applin.
NATIONAL NODS
Freshman Madi George took home a clean sweep of the national freshman of the week honors on Tuesday, being named D1Softball & Softball on SI's National Freshman of the Week and Softball America's Freshman Star of the Week.
George hit a blazing .636 with three home runs and 10 RBI over a 3-1 week for the Rebels, including a multi-home run game in the win over Southern Miss and five RBI in game two at Auburn.
Additionally, George was also named the SEC Freshman of the Week, joining last season's freshman duo of Mackenzie Pickens and Persy Llamas to earn the award as a Rebel.
FINDING THE FORMULA
The Rebels have found their success when the two middle of the order hitters, Persy Llamas and Madi George, are able to drive in runs. The Rebels are 16-6 when Llamas tallies an RBI and 14-16 when she does not, while the Rebels are 18-9 when George tallies an RBI and 11-14 when she does not.
Additionally, if only one of the two drive in a run, the Rebels are 25-12 in those games and 5-10 overall when neither tallies an RBI.
ACT TWO
Persy Llamas took the SEC by storm as a freshman and returns to anchor an offense with plenty of potent bats in 2026. Llamas not only hit .354 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and 55 RBI last season, while striking out only 11 times, but also matched teammate Aliyah Binford in setting a new single-season RBI record at Ole Miss that has since been broken by Madi George in 2026.
Her efforts across the postseason were heroic. Llamas went from hitting a three-run blast against No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament win, to tallying three home runs in three games against No. 12 Arizona to secure the NCAA Regional, to driving in the first two runs ever scored by the Rebels in a Women's College World Series against No. 16 Oregon. Llamas took home All-SEC Second Team and NFCA All-South Region Second Team honors following the season.
As a result of her achievements, the nation has paid attention in 2026. Llamas was tabbed to the All-SEC Preseason Team, as well as earning a top-100 player and top-10 player at first base nod from Softball America this offseason.
This season, Llamas has kept pace, hitting .392 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 38 RBI through 52 games, headlined by a walk-off double in a win over Miami.
Llamas already has eyes on the all-time record books at Ole Miss, standing just three home runs away from entering the top-10 in program history. Additionally, her .993 fielding percentage at first base has already put her among the Rebels all-time best.
A STAR IS BORN
After multiple NFCA All-Region honorees from last season's freshman class, the Rebels have unearthed another freshman star in Madi George.
George has quickly taken over as the cleanup hitter in the early portion of her college career, hitting .400 with 21 home runs, 29 total extra-base hits, 56 RBI and 27 walks. George leads the Rebels in home runs, walks, RBI, slugging percentage and OBP.
George broke the all-time single season program home run record at Ole Miss against No. 15 LSU, originally held by Lexie Brady in 2025 (17). From there, George (125) broke the total bases record held by Aliyah Binford in 2025 (122) last week against Southern Miss. George added another single-season mark to her ledger, breaking Aliyah Binford & Persy Llamas' shared RBI record of 55, by recording her 56th RBI of the season at Auburn.
George's work has begun to generate national attention. George was one of seven from the SEC to be tabbed to the NFCA's Top-25 Finalists for the National Freshman of the Year award. George is just the third Rebel to ever be named to the list, joining Miali Guachino in 2025 and Hailey Lunderman in 2016. George added more awards with a trio of National Player of the Week honors last week.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
As has been the case in recent seasons, head coach Samantha Ricketts leads a strong Mississippi State side that is built on its pitching. The Bulldogs are 36-15 and 8-13 in SEC play, seeking to end the regular season on a high note, despite losing seven of its last 10 games.
The Mississippi State rotation has been built on two key transfer additions this season in former Chattanooga right-hander and senior Peja Goold and former Troy left-hander and junior Alyssa Faircloth. The Bulldogs rely on both heavily, with each tallying over 130 innings pitched. Goold leads the way at 15-10 with a 2.15 ERA and 159 strikeouts, while Faircloth is 11-5 with a 2.56 ERA and 210 strikeouts. Another transfer, former Middle Tennessee right-hander Leila Ammon also factors into the equation, going 8-0 with a 1.70 ERA over 53.2 innings pitched.
The offense has been streaky, but when on are very dangerous. Led by seniors Kiara Sells and Nadia Barbary, the Bulldogs are hitting at a .285 clip, but just .223 in SEC play so far. Sells is rolling, hitting .366 with 13 home runs and 29 RBI, while Barbary stands at .335 hitting with 12 home runs and 36 RBI.
Mississippi State stands firmly in the potential race to host an NCAA Regional, holding an RPI of No. 16 in the nation. The Bulldogs have won key games over Clemson, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and hold series wins over LSU and South Carolina.
Ultimately, the Bulldogs have found the most success when the pitching is on point. All but one SEC win for Mississippi State has seen it hold its opponents to three runs or less. On the flip side of the coin, the Bulldogs have scored just 59 runs over 21 SEC games, averaging 2.81 runs per contest.
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.
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