Oxford, Miss. — The University of Mississippi softball team welcomes Samford for a midweek game Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
Ole Miss (25-15, 2-10 SEC) is coming off a series of five road games and a non-conference sweep last week. The Rebels’ last home game was nearly a week ago, and they now open a five-game homestand. Samford (17-23, 7-2 Southern Conference) enters the game after winning three straight conference series.
Junior Cassie Reasner has been a standout for Ole Miss, hitting two home runs and setting a program record with seven RBIs in a game against Memphis. She added another home run at Central Arkansas. Freshman Madi George leads the team with a .369 batting average, 10 home runs, and 21 walks through 40 games. Sophomore Persy Llamas is hitting .408 with five home runs and 30 RBIs, and has been consistent at the plate, with a .667 average over the last three games.
The Rebels have hit 48 home runs this season, averaging 1.20 per game. Defense has been crucial, as the team is 16-3 when no errors are committed and 9-12 when errors occur. Ole Miss faces a challenging schedule, including nine games against top-25 RPI teams in SEC play, with matchups against Texas A&M, LSU, and Mississippi State remaining.
In early March, Ole Miss secured its first series win at Tennessee, taking two of three games against the No. 4 Lady Vols. The series was highlighted by strong pitching performances and solid defense, including four double plays. Offensively, Kennedy Bunker and Madi George contributed key home runs, while Persy Llamas and Laylonna Applin posted notable batting averages.
National recognition continues for the Rebels, with three players ranked in Softball America’s March Position Power Rankings. Madi George is ranked as the No. 11 utility player, Llamas as the No. 12 first baseman, and Mackenzie Pickens as the No. 14 second baseman. George was also named the No. 19 outfielder in the April rankings.
The success of Llamas and George has been pivotal. Ole Miss is 14-3 when Llamas drives in a run and 11-12 when she does not. The team is 14-5 in games where George records an RBI. Both players are near school records and are expected to continue their impact.
Samford, coached by Megan Curry, has been competitive in the Southern Conference, with key contributors including junior Katie Campbell and Oliva Shaw. The Bulldogs have faced tough non-conference opponents like Florida State and Oregon and are seeking their first conference title. The team’s pitching staff has a combined ERA of 4.78, led by Brandy Phillips, who has a 3.93 ERA in 62.1 innings.
