Rebels Softball to Host Ole Miss Classic

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Ole Miss softball returns home for the first time of the 2023 season, playing host to Missouri State, Mount St. Mary and SEMO in the annual Ole Miss Classic.

Ole Miss has opened the season at 9-6 overall.

Head coach Jamie Trachsel and her staff have 15 players who returned from last season’s roster, including fifth-year seniors Mikayla Allee and Tate Whitley. The 2023 roster also includes four impact transfers in Makenna Kliethermes, Jenna Lord, Mya Stevenson and Savana Sikes.

In her last five games, Stevenson is hitting .467 with seven hits, including three home runs, six runs scored and five RBIs.

As a team, the Rebels have smashed a total of 12 home runs.

Ole Miss will take the diamond against Missouri State and Mount St. Mary’s on Friday afternoon.

Missouri State is off to a 5-8 start this season. Last weekend, they went 2-2 at the Michelle Short Collegiate Classic hosted by Central Arkansas with an 8-6 win over South Dakota State and a forfeit victory against Mississippi Valley State. The Bears dropped two contests to host UCA. Freshman Abby Ford (Fr., Ozark, Mo.) leads the way for the Bears offensively so far this season with a .387 batting average, 12 hits and 8 runs scored. She also leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks 6th nationally with 13 stolen bases on the season. In the circle, the Bears boast a 4.05 staff ERA with 43 strikeouts through 74.1 innings.

Mount St. Mary’s opened the 2023 season by going 2-2 at the Chanticleer Showdown hosted by Coastal Carolina last weekend. The Mount picked up a 2-0 shutout against Saint Joseph’s, was edged by UAlbany and earned a doubleheader split with Coastal Carolina. Abigayle Perry and Avery Neuhart collected Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference weekly honors after strong performances at Coastal Carolina. Perry was named the MAAC Player of the Week after hitting .700 (7-for-10) in the four games with a .786 on-base percentage and a 1.200 slugging percentage. Neuhart went 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in two starts. She tossed a complete game, allowing one earned run, in the 3-2 win over Coastal Carolina.

The Rebels will play twice Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend with all six games on the SEC Network +.