The University of Mississippi softball team begins Southeastern Conference play this weekend with a series against No. 4 Alabama at Ole Miss Softball Stadium. The Rebels (18-5) will face the Crimson Tide (20-0) in a three-game set on Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Saturday at 6 p.m. CT, and Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus, according to the university.
Ole Miss has started 8-0 at home for the second consecutive season. Freshman Madi George has been a standout, batting .455 with seven home runs and 14 walks over her first 23 games. She is currently on a 10-game hitting streak, tying for the 15th-longest in program history, according to the university. Sophomore Persy Llamas also remains hot at the plate, hitting .430 with five home runs and 25 RBIs, leading the team with 34 hits.
The Rebels’ pitching staff has been strong, holding opponents to four or fewer runs in each of the last 13 games. They have a combined 2.33 ERA, ranking 24th in NCAA. Ole Miss has been especially effective at home, allowing no more than four runs in any game while averaging 7.5 runs per contest and securing four run-rule victories. The team recently defeated Miami, the MAC champion and 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifier.
The series marks the first time in recent history that Ole Miss faces Alabama since the final game at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, a 5-4 victory in which the Rebels rallied in the bottom of the seventh. That game was notable for a game-winning double from Mya Stevenson off Tide pitcher Montana Fouts. Alabama is returning to Oxford for the first time since then.
Among the standout players for Ole Miss is freshman Madi George, who leads the team in batting average, home runs, and walks. She has quickly become a key contributor, following a successful season as a freshman last year, which included a .377 average and 27 RBIs through her first 23 games. Sophomore Persy Llamas continues to impress with a .430 average, five home runs, and 25 RBIs. She also recently earned preseason honors and is close to setting top-10 career records at Ole Miss in home runs.
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made history early this season, becoming the sixth Rebel to throw a solo no-hitter and the ninth in program history, in an 8-0 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. She has compiled a 5-0 record with a 1.46 ERA so far. Meanwhile, sophomore Mackenzie Pickens has continued her strong performance, hitting .348 with six home runs and 24 RBIs, including a six-RBI game against Mercer.
Alabama enters SEC play undefeated at 20-0, with a potent lineup and dominant pitching staff. Key returners include Marlie Giles, Alexis Pupillo, and Audrey Vandagriff. Freshmen and transfers, such as Brooke Wells and Ana Roman, have contributed significantly. The Crimson Tide’s pitching staff boasts a collective 0.68 ERA, with no opponent scoring more than three runs in a game this season, led by standout freshman Vic Moten, who is 9-0.
