One swing of the bat was all it took for the Ole Miss Rebels to take a three-game series versus instate rival Mississippi State on Saturday. That swing came off of the bat of pinch-hitter Rachel Conners, who drove a bottom-of-the-seventh offering from Mississippi State pitcher Alyssa Faircloth deep over the right field wall, as the Rebels walked-off the Bulldogs for the second straight day by a 3-0 score.
Conners’ game-winning home run came with teammates Cassie Reasner and Laylonna Applin on base. Conners knew it was gone when she hit it, as celebratory cheers broke out around the ballpark.
Ole Miss improved to 32-23 overall and to 6-18 in the SEC. Mississippi State dropped to 37-17 and to 9-15 inside the conference.
Not to be missed in Saturday’s finale was the dominant pitching performance by Ole Miss starter Emilee Boyer. Boyer worked the seven-inning complete game, allowing just three hits, walking three and striking out three. All told in the series, she pitched a total of 15.2 innings allowing only two runs to the nationally-ranked Bulldogs.
Nether team could crack the ice until the rebels broke through in the bottom of the seventh, as Boyer and Faircloth locked into a true pitcher’s duel.
BOX SCORE | https://olemisssports.com/sports/softball/stats/2026/mississippi-state/boxscore/14766
NOW WHAT?
The regular season is over and likely the last softball game has been played in Oxford this season. We say likely, because this team has finally found itself as the SEC Tournament in Lexington, Ky., awaits. If Ole Miss were to win the SEC Tournament, who knows? Could the NCAA offer them a host role, if that happens? Doubtful. But despite their struggles in conference play this season (the SEC is America’s toughest softball league), Ole Miss is solidly in the NCAA Tournament, which will be for the sixth consecutive year.
Stay tuned to OleMiss365.com to learn more once the SEC seedings are determined after Saturday’s play.