The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, March 6
Oxford, Miss.
3 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Alabama
Softball Opens SEC Season, Hosts No. 4 Alabama
3/5/2026 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss softball program begins its Southeastern Conference season this weekend, welcoming No. 4 Alabama to the Ole Miss Softball Stadium for a three-game set.
The Rebels (18-5, 0-0 SEC) are set to open up against the Crimson Tide (20-0, 0-0 SEC) on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Game two is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. CT and the finale will get started on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All three games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
LEADING OFF
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rebels have shined since returning home, going a perfect 8-0 ahead of the first series in SEC play against No. 4 Alabama.
While the Rebels will have eight non-conference midweeks after the Alabama series, the home swing has been especially important, given the first four series to open SEC play are against top-10 opponents - Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
The Rebels have been clinical at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium, allowing no more than four runs in a game at home, while averaging 7.5 runs per game on offense and tallying four run-rule wins. The Rebels also earned a key win over MAC champion and 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifier Miami.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
The last meeting in Oxford between Ole Miss and Alabama saw the end of one era and the birth of another, as Ole Miss played its final game at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, before the start of construction on the Ole Miss Softball Stadium.
Ole Miss would win that game in dramatic fashion, 5-4, securing a four-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, punctuated by a game-winning double from Mya Stevenson off legendary Tide pitcher Montana Fouts. Alabama is now set to return to Oxford for the first time since that game.
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.
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 recently 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 a sizzling .430 with five home runs and 25 RBI through 23 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 .455 with seven home runs, 10 total extra-base hits, 23 RBI and 14 walks. George leads the Rebels in batting average, home runs, walks, slugging percentage and OBP.
A natural first baseman who has seen most of her time split between right field and designated player thus far, George is following in a similar path as the Rebels current first baseman, sophomore Persy Llamas, who went on to a very successful freshman season. Llamas hit .377 with four home runs and 27 RBI through her first 23 collegiate games last season.
WHITTEN IN STONE
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made history on Friday, Feb. 13, becoming just the sixth Rebel to ever throw a solo no-hitter, joining Brittany Barnhill, Aliyah Binford, Miali Guachino, Carly Hummel (twice) and Becky Nye. Additionally, she became part of just the ninth no-hitter of any kind in program history.
Whitten was thoroughly dominant in the 8-0 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, striking out three batters and commanding the circle. It has been a sterling start to Whitten's Ole Miss career, going 5-0 with a 1.46 ERA so far.
RETURN OF THE MACK
Another breakout star for the Rebels in 2025 was the dynamic Mackenzie Pickens, who stepped right into a key middle infield role and shined en route to NFCA All-South Region Third Team honors. This season, Pickens will take on an even bigger role on both sides of the ball.
Pickens delivered a sensational debut season in Oxford, hitting .328 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, 37 RBI and 12 stolen bases. That play has carried over into 2026 thus far, as Pickens opened the season hitting .348 with six home runs and 24 RBI. Pickens matched the single-game program record with six RBI in a win over Mercer on Feb. 22.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the 2025 SEC Tournament and 2025 NCAA Tournament. Her 8th inning, three-run blast helped the Rebels break the deadlock and win a thriller over No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament, while her 2-for-3 performance with a first inning home run helped the Rebels clinch the Tucson Regional against No. 12 Arizona in a decisive game three.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
2026 has been a resurgent campaign from the Crimson Tide, who have yet to lose in Patrick Murphy's 28th season at the helm. The 20-0 Crimson Tide have reached a high of No. 4 in the nation entering SEC play and are powered by a rejuvenated lineup and dynamic pitching.
Returners Marlie Giles, Alexis Pupillo and Audrey Vandagriff are among several names who continue to shine, but the lineup has been spurred along by freshmen and transfer additions. Houston transfer Brooke Wells is off to a sensational start, hitting .468 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. Freshman Ana Roman is also surging, hitting .370 with seven home runs and 23 RBI. Pupillo has been the biggest run producer of them all, with eight home runs and 25 RBI.
Where the Crimson Tide have really shined is in the circle, as a new-look rotation is making waves. As a staff, the Crimson Tide hold a cumulative ERA of 0.68 and have yet to allow more than three runs in a game this season. Freshman Vic Moten is one of the breakout stars in the SEC, going 9-0 with a 0.32 ERA (43.2 IP) and 52 strikeouts, holding hitters to a .100 batting average.
Fellow freshman Kaitlyn Pallozzi has been nearly as good, going 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA (32.1 IP). Returner Jocelyn Briski is the veteran leader of the rotation, coming off of SEC Pitcher of the Week honors at 6-0 with a 0.91 ERA (30.2 IP) and a team-high 55 strikeouts.
Alabama has played just four true road games, but has passed each test with flying colors, earning a two-game sweep of Georgia Tech in Atlanta and a two-game sweep of Florida State in Tallahassee.
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 (18-5, 0-0 SEC) are set to open up against the Crimson Tide (20-0, 0-0 SEC) on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Game two is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. CT and the finale will get started on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All three games will be streamed via SEC Network Plus.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss opens SEC play this weekend, welcoming the first of four top-10 opponents on its schedule with a visit from No. 4 Alabama.
- The Rebels have started 8-0 at home for the second straight season.
- Freshman Madi George has been the breakout star of the season thus far, hitting a sizzling .455 with a team-high seven home runs and 14 walks, while adding 23 RBI through the first 23 games of her career.
- George enters the series on a 10-game hitting streak, ranking in a tie-for-15th all-time in longest hitting streaks at Ole Miss. Only two Rebels (Lexie Brady and Jaden Pone) reached that length last season.
- Sophomore Persy Llamas remains scorching hot as well, hitting .430 through the first 23 games with five home runs and 25 RBI. Llamas leads the team with 34 hits.
- The Ole Miss pitching staff has shined since the home opener against Miami, holding opponents to four runs or less in each of the last 13 games. The Rebels had a similar streak of 15 games last season.
- As a unit, the Rebels have pitched to a combined 2.33 ERA, ranking 24th in the NCAA, while also ranking 23rd in WHIP (1.18).
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rebels have shined since returning home, going a perfect 8-0 ahead of the first series in SEC play against No. 4 Alabama.
While the Rebels will have eight non-conference midweeks after the Alabama series, the home swing has been especially important, given the first four series to open SEC play are against top-10 opponents - Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
The Rebels have been clinical at the Ole Miss Softball Stadium, allowing no more than four runs in a game at home, while averaging 7.5 runs per game on offense and tallying four run-rule wins. The Rebels also earned a key win over MAC champion and 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifier Miami.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
The last meeting in Oxford between Ole Miss and Alabama saw the end of one era and the birth of another, as Ole Miss played its final game at the Ole Miss Softball Complex, before the start of construction on the Ole Miss Softball Stadium.
Ole Miss would win that game in dramatic fashion, 5-4, securing a four-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, punctuated by a game-winning double from Mya Stevenson off legendary Tide pitcher Montana Fouts. Alabama is now set to return to Oxford for the first time since that game.
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.
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 recently 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 a sizzling .430 with five home runs and 25 RBI through 23 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 .455 with seven home runs, 10 total extra-base hits, 23 RBI and 14 walks. George leads the Rebels in batting average, home runs, walks, slugging percentage and OBP.
A natural first baseman who has seen most of her time split between right field and designated player thus far, George is following in a similar path as the Rebels current first baseman, sophomore Persy Llamas, who went on to a very successful freshman season. Llamas hit .377 with four home runs and 27 RBI through her first 23 collegiate games last season.
WHITTEN IN STONE
Pitcher Lilly Whitten made history on Friday, Feb. 13, becoming just the sixth Rebel to ever throw a solo no-hitter, joining Brittany Barnhill, Aliyah Binford, Miali Guachino, Carly Hummel (twice) and Becky Nye. Additionally, she became part of just the ninth no-hitter of any kind in program history.
Whitten was thoroughly dominant in the 8-0 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, striking out three batters and commanding the circle. It has been a sterling start to Whitten's Ole Miss career, going 5-0 with a 1.46 ERA so far.
RETURN OF THE MACK
Another breakout star for the Rebels in 2025 was the dynamic Mackenzie Pickens, who stepped right into a key middle infield role and shined en route to NFCA All-South Region Third Team honors. This season, Pickens will take on an even bigger role on both sides of the ball.
Pickens delivered a sensational debut season in Oxford, hitting .328 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, 37 RBI and 12 stolen bases. That play has carried over into 2026 thus far, as Pickens opened the season hitting .348 with six home runs and 24 RBI. Pickens matched the single-game program record with six RBI in a win over Mercer on Feb. 22.
Pickens delivered signature moments in both the 2025 SEC Tournament and 2025 NCAA Tournament. Her 8th inning, three-run blast helped the Rebels break the deadlock and win a thriller over No. 4 Florida in the SEC Tournament, while her 2-for-3 performance with a first inning home run helped the Rebels clinch the Tucson Regional against No. 12 Arizona in a decisive game three.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
2026 has been a resurgent campaign from the Crimson Tide, who have yet to lose in Patrick Murphy's 28th season at the helm. The 20-0 Crimson Tide have reached a high of No. 4 in the nation entering SEC play and are powered by a rejuvenated lineup and dynamic pitching.
Returners Marlie Giles, Alexis Pupillo and Audrey Vandagriff are among several names who continue to shine, but the lineup has been spurred along by freshmen and transfer additions. Houston transfer Brooke Wells is off to a sensational start, hitting .468 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. Freshman Ana Roman is also surging, hitting .370 with seven home runs and 23 RBI. Pupillo has been the biggest run producer of them all, with eight home runs and 25 RBI.
Where the Crimson Tide have really shined is in the circle, as a new-look rotation is making waves. As a staff, the Crimson Tide hold a cumulative ERA of 0.68 and have yet to allow more than three runs in a game this season. Freshman Vic Moten is one of the breakout stars in the SEC, going 9-0 with a 0.32 ERA (43.2 IP) and 52 strikeouts, holding hitters to a .100 batting average.
Fellow freshman Kaitlyn Pallozzi has been nearly as good, going 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA (32.1 IP). Returner Jocelyn Briski is the veteran leader of the rotation, coming off of SEC Pitcher of the Week honors at 6-0 with a 0.91 ERA (30.2 IP) and a team-high 55 strikeouts.
Alabama has played just four true road games, but has passed each test with flying colors, earning a two-game sweep of Georgia Tech in Atlanta and a two-game sweep of Florida State in Tallahassee.
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.
Players Mentioned
RHP/INF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
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