The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Baylor
Softball Set For NCAA Salt Lake City Regional
5/18/2023 | Softball
Rebels Take on Baylor Friday at 12 p.m. CT
 OLE MISS
(30-26, 8-16 SEC) |
 #15 UTAH
(37-13, 15-9 PAC-12) |
 BAYLOR
(39-16, 8-10 Big 12) |
 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
(39-14, 19-5 WAC) |
| Roster Schedule Stats Game Notes (PDF) @OleMissSoftball |
Roster Schedule Stats Game Notes (PDF) @BaylorSoftball |
Roster Schedule Stats Game Notes (PDF) @SIU_Softball |
| Friday, May 19 12 p.m. CT  |
| Watch • Live Stats • Tickets • Regional Info |
LEADING OFF
• For the seventh-consecutive season, Ole Miss has received a bid to the NCAA Softball Championship. The Rebels will compete in the Salt Lake City Regional, opening play against Baylor Friday at 12 p.m. CT.
• Playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, 61 percent (34 of 56) of Ole Miss' 2023 games were against teams that made the NCAA Softball Tournament.
• The Rebels are 15-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, claiming a pair of regional titles in 2017 and 2019.
• Receiving its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in 2016, Ole Miss has earned a spot in the "Big Dance" every season since.
• Ole Miss will debut its new Powder Blue uniforms at the Salt Lake City Regional.
• Senior Mikayla Allee has started 252 games in a Rebel uniform, the most by any player in Ole Miss history.
• Senior Tate Whitley earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors in left field after recording a perfect fielding percentage in conference play.
• Head coach Jamie Trachsel became the fastest to 100 career wins at Ole Miss earlier this season, needing only 159 games to accomplish the feat.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
Baylor secured its 15th NCAA Tournament bid in program history after posting a 39-16 regular season. This marks the 10th appearance in the last 12 seasons for Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have advanced to at least a Super Regional six times and are 33-13 all-time in the first round of the tournament. Earning the No. 2 seed in the Salt Lake City Regional, Baylor is in the midst of one of its best seasons in program history, led by Big 12 Coach of the Year Glenn Moore. The Bears boast six wins over top-five ranked opponents, including handing No. 1 Oklahoma its only loss of the season. Offensively, Shaylon Govan paces the team with a .382 mark at the plate and 11 home runs. In the circle, Dariana Orme and RyLee Crandall have split the workload. The Bears own a 2.44 staff ERA in 369.2 innings pitched. The Bears lead the all-time series with Ole Miss, but the Rebels won the most recent meeting 10-4 in Waco in 2021.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
SIU earned its spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in program history and fourth since 2017. The Salukis received an automatic bid after claiming the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title with a 10-2 win over Indiana State. Led by head coach Jen Sewell, they enter the Salt Lake City Regional as the No. 4 seed with a 36-18 overall record. Southern Illinois' offense is led by five student-athletes hitting .300 or better. Elizabeth Warwick leads the team with 60 hits, including 18 doubles, while Jackie Lis paces the team and ranks 17th nationally with 17 home runs. The Salukis pitching staff boasts a 3.77 team ERA led by Madi Eberle. She owns a 2.97 ERA and a 19-8 record through 172.1 innings pitched on the year. The two teams met earlier this season at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Mexico, with the Rebels coming away with a lopsided 13-0 win in five innings. SIU, however, leads the all-time series with Ole Miss 5-4.
SCOUTING UTAH
For the Utes, this marks their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance and their first since a 2017 campaign that saw them reach Super Regionals. Earning the No. 15 national seed in the tournament, Utah will host the Salt Lake City region at the Dumke Family Softball Stadium. The Utes own a 26-24 record in the regional round and have advanced to the Supers in each of their past three postseason trips. Utah is fresh off winning the inaugural Pac-12 Softball Tournament title after taking down No. 2 UCLA. A program record eight Utes earned conference honors led by Aliya Belarde, Ellessa Bonstrom, Abby Dayton and Mariah Lopez on the All-Pac-12 First-Team. As a team, Utah is batting .323 with 129 extra-base hits, including 42 home runs. Belarde leads the team with 49 runs scored and 66 hits. In the circle, Lopez has been the star, boasting an 18-5 record and 2.33 ERA. Ole Miss is looking for its first win over Utah in program history. The Utes have claimed all three meetings, with the most recent in Puerto Vallarta in 2020.
GOING DANCING
For the seventh-consecutive season, Ole Miss has received a bid to the NCAA Softball Championship, competing in the Salt Lake City Regional. It is the Rebels' second-ever trip to Salt Lake City and first for the postseason. Ole Miss will be joined in the regional by host and No. 15 national seed Utah, Baylor and SIU. The Rebels are 1-4 all-time against Baylor, earning their first win in 2021. They boast an 0-3 against host Utah and a 4-5 record against SIU, who they faced off against earlier this season in Puerto Vallarta.
BATTLE TESTED
Heading into the postseason, Ole Miss sits at 30-26 with the sixth best strength of schedule in all of Division I Softball. The Rebels finished the regular season with ranked wins over No. 10 LSU, No. 19 Auburn, No. 15 Kentucky, No. 21 Texas A&M, No. 14 Florida and No. 14 Alabama, as well as a series victory at Missouri. Playing one of the toughest schedules in the sport, 61 percent (34 of 56) of Ole Miss' 2023 games were against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament.
LOCKING DOWN LEFT
One of the nation's top left fielders, fifth-year senior Tate Whitley was named to the SEC All-Defensive team. Starting all 24 conference games in left field, Whitley locked down the position. Whether she was stealing base hits or throwing out runners on the basepaths, the Angleton, Texas, native was always ready to make a play. She led the Rebel outfield with 42 putouts, the second most among all SEC outfielders, and one assist in conference play, all while committing zero errors in the outfield.
A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY
With a 5-3 win over No. 6 seed LSU at the SEC Tournament, Ole Miss picked up its 30th victory of the season. It marked the eighth consecutive 30 win season for the Rebels (excluding 2020), dating back to the 2015 season. Further, head coach Jamie Trachsel has tallied at least 30 wins in all but one season of her 13 year career.
SPEED KILLS
Playing in every contest this season for the Rebels, true freshman Jalia Lassiter has found a way to impact the game. The Atmore, Alabama, native brings a new level of energy to the diamond with her game-changing speed, swagger and confidence. Lassiter has shined in centerfield, already leaving her mark as one of the conference's best defenders. On the offensive side, she ranks third on the team with a .283 average at the plate. Still learning the game at the collegiate level and perfecting her craft, Lassiter has 43 hits, including five triples (the third most in the SEC) and three home runs. With her speed on the base paths, she's also managed to swipe 17 bases in her freshman campaign, the 10th most in the conference, and score a team-high 36 runs.
DON'T LET THE REBS GET HOT
Paige Smith's tenth-inning home run capped off a thrilling start to the 2023 SEC Softball Tournament as No. 11 Ole Miss softball took down No. 6 LSU last Wednesday at Bogle Park. Playing their longest game of the season, the Rebels battled in extra innings with LSU. Tate Whitley and Lexie Brady each registered multiple hits on the day, while Jalia Lassiter reached base four out of five times and flashed her speed to score a pair of early runs. Catelyn Riley had a strong start in the circle going 4.1 innings. She passed the ball off to Aynslie Furbush, who didn't allow a hit in the final 5.1 innings to pick up the victory.
THE BULL IS BACK
After suffering an injury in the Rebels season opener and missing a month of action, Catelyn Riley returned just in time for conference play. Last season, Riley was a mainstay in the Ole Miss lineup, boasting a .361 average at the plate, while posting a 3.46 ERA through 81.0 innings pitched in the circle and collecting a team-high 12 wins, the second-most by an Ole Miss freshman pitcher. Back healthy in 2023, she has earned wins over No. 10 LSU, No. 19 Auburn, No. 15 Kentucky and No. 14 Florida. The Dandridge, Tennessee, native currently ranks second on the team with a 2.67 ERA. Throwing only 89.0 innings on the season so far, the sophomore is fresh for a postseason run with the Rebels.
END OF AN ERA
Playing their final game ever at the Ole Miss Softball Complex before it's torn down, Mya Stevenson's RBI double capped off a four-run seventh-inning rally as the Rebels walked off No. 14 Alabama on Sunday May 7. Down to its final three outs and trailing by three, Furbush and Kamoku crushed back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh, giving the Rebels life. Lassiter, Whitley and Smith all reached base to put the pressure on the Tide. With a chance to walk-off No. 14 Alabama, Stevenson took the second pitch from Fouts and drove it into the gap in left to help Ole Miss complete a four-run comeback. Sunday's win marked the end of an era in more ways than one. It capped off the careers of eight seniors in Oxford and marked the 608th and final game to ever be played at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, which has served as the Rebels' home field since 1998 and has seen one SEC Tournament, two NCAA Regionals and countless other memories.
HOTTY TODDY TATE
Despite missing most of February with an injury, Tate Whitley leads Ole Miss in batting average and hits. Hitting at the top of the order, she is sparkplug for the Rebel offense. With 44 games under her belt this season, Whitley boasts a .326 mark at the plate with 45 total hits, including 14 multi-hit games. Playing her fifth year in a Rebel uniform, she has become one of the most consistent hitters in school history. The Angleton, Texas, native collected her 200th on April 8th against No. 15 Kentucky, joining Lauren Grill, Kylan Becker and Elantra Cox as the only player in program history to tally 200 hits in their career. She now ranks fourth all-time at Ole Miss with 218 hits and is fifth in program history with a .344 career average at the plate.
SWINGING FOR THE FENCES
Paige Smith powered the Ole Miss offense down the stretch in conference play. Despite hitting only .230 against SEC opponents, the senior has come up clutch for the Rebels in big moments. Eight of her 17 hits in SEC play, nearly 50 perfect, left the ballpark, giving her a team-best 19 RBIs and 40 on the season. She added another home run at the SEC Tournament against No. 6 LSU, giving her 10 total on the season. Smith has hit double digit digers in all three complete seasons she's played at Ole Miss, giving her 32 in her career, the fourth most in program history.
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
Fifth-year senior Mikayla Allee has quietly put together the best offensive season of her career. The Corona, California, has climbed the lineup and ranks fourth on the team with a .278 batting average. Allee has 42 hits this season, the fourth most on the team, and has collected multiple in eight contests this year. Further, her 42 hits this season are a single-season career-high, topping the 28 she had last year.
MY OH MYA
Slugger Mya Stevenson ranks 10th in the SEC and 77st nationally with 12 home runs in 49 games played this season. Further, her 12 homers are tied for the third most in a single season in program history. The graduate transfer leads the team with a .567 slugging percentage and is second on the team with 34 RBI. Stevenson is up to 71 career home runs, the most among all active players in Division I College Softball.
200 CLUB
Ole Miss is one of nine teams in all of Division I softball this year to have multiple active players with 200 career hits on its roster. Tate Whitley notched her 200th career hit on April 8 against No. 15 Kentucky with an infield single in the first inning. Her teammate Mya Stevenson recorded her 200th career hit a week later, hitting a three-run home run to help the Rebels top Missouri in the rubber match to take the series.
KEEPING IT 💯
Lexie Brady's career day at the plate helped Jamie Trachsel earn her 100th victory as a Rebel as Ole Miss toppled No. 15 Kentucky 9-3 on April 9. With the victory, Trachsel became the quickest coach to 100 wins in program history, needing only 159 games to reach the century mark. The Rebels put on an offensive clinic against the Wildcats, scoring seven runs in the second inning. Tate Whitley and Savana Sikes each sparked the offense going 3-for-4 on the afternoon, but it was Brady who shined at the plate, hitting a three-run bomb and a double. Catelyn Riley was battled in the circle, holding the Kentucky offense on only one earned run on four hits while striking out five in the complete game effort.
THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
So far this season, three has been the magic number for the Ole Miss offense. The Rebels boast a 29-8 record when scoring three or more runs. Further, Ole Miss' pitching and defense have kept them in almost every game this season, only allowing more than three runs in 19 of 56 games.
SPINNY REBELS
Since the arrival of pitching coach Ryker Chason, the Ole Miss pitching staff has been one of the SEC's best. The Spinny Rebels boast a 2.92 ERA over the past three seasons, including a 2.87 mark through 56 games this season (79th nationally). Chason's pitching staff ranked third in the conference with 29 shutouts from 2021-22 and has eight this season, ranking 97th in the nation. Six of the eight shutouts this year have come at home, where the Rebels only surrendered 53 earned runs in 171.0 innings pitched.
TRANSFER TO THE 'SIP
Head Coach Jamie Trachsel dipped into the transfer portal this offseason to add top-tier talent to her 2023 roster, welcoming in three transfers who have stepped right in to contribute this season.
Makenna Kliethermes graduated last May from Oregon and joins the Rebels pitching staff with two years of eligibility remaining. This season, she has made a team-high 32 appearances in the circle, boasting a 3.46 ERA and 6-6 record through 93.0 innings pitched while recording four saves.
Making her way to Oxford as a graduate transfer, Mya Stevenson wrapped up her career at Marshall as one of the program's top sluggers and fourth All-American. She has continued to show off the power in a Rebel uniform, leading the team with 12 home runs. Stevenson has helped lead the Ole Miss offense this season, batting .244 with 31 hits and 34 RBI.
Sikes joins the Rebels after electing to play her fifth and final season in Oxford. The former Georgia Bulldog has started all but one game for the Rebels at third base this season, giving her 248 career starts. She owns a .278 average at the plate and ranks second on the team with 44 hits.
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 Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Also, follow head coach Jamie Trachsel on Twitter at @Jamie_Trachsel.
