No. 17 Ole Miss Softball Eliminates No. 13 Arizona, Advances to Super Regionals

TUCSON, Ariz. – (Release) No. 17 Ole Miss softball delivered in a winner-take-all battle Sunday night at No. 13 Arizona, ousting the host Wildcats, 7-3, to win the Tucson Regional and advance to the Super Regionals for the third time in program history.

Arizona won Game 1 of Sunday’s championship round, handing the Rebels their first loss of the double-elimination regional, 10-1, but Ole Miss refocused and plated four runs in the first inning of Game 2 to take command early.

Aliyah Binford and Mackenzie Pickens each launched two-run home runs to make it a 4-0 advantage that the Wildcats never overcame.

Arizona responded with two in the bottom half, but Ole Miss soon got those runs back. Persy Llamas went yard to start the third inning, then Lexie Brady singled and scored after a Pickens double and Ashton Lansdell sacrifice fly, making it a four-run lead once again.

The hosts used a solo home run to chip back in the bottom of the third, but Binford matched it in the top of the fourth with her second long ball of the game to make it a 7-3 contest.

Brianna Lopez and the Rebel defense held the dangerous Arizona offense scoreless in the fourth and fifth before the Wildcats loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. That prompted Miali Guachino to step into the circle, and she induced a pop-up to escape the jam, then retired Arizona in order to end it.

Ole Miss advances to the Fayetteville Super Regional, where it’ll meet a familiar foe in SEC rival and No. 4 overall seed Arkansas. Stay tuned for dates, times and TV designations.