Ole Miss Softball wins first SEC series of the season at No. 4 Tennessee

The Rebels took two of three games against the Volunteers to earn their first SEC wins of 2026

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:33pm

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Ole Miss Softball traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to take on the No. 4 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. The Rebels won the series, taking two of the three games played. In game one, Ole Miss won 2-1 behind a solo home run from senior catcher Kennedy Bunker and strong pitching from Emilee Boyer. The Rebels also won game two by a 2-1 score, with Kyra Aycock earning the win. However, Ole Miss was unable to complete the sweep, falling 4-3 in the series finale.

Why it matters

This series win marks the first SEC victories of the season for Ole Miss Softball, a strong start in conference play for the Rebels against a highly ranked opponent. The win also snaps a long drought, as it was Ole Miss's first series win at Tennessee since 2008.

The details

In game one, Ole Miss took an early 1-0 lead on Bunker's solo home run in the first inning. Tennessee tied it in the third, but the Rebels regained the lead for good in the sixth on a wild pitch. Emilee Boyer went the distance in the circle for the Rebels. Game two saw Ole Miss jump out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning, and they held on for a 2-1 victory despite a late Tennessee rally. Kyra Aycock earned the win for the Rebels. In the series finale, Tennessee rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning.

  • On March 27, Ole Miss defeated Tennessee 2-1 in game one.
  • On March 28, Ole Miss won game two over Tennessee by a 2-1 score.
  • On March 29, Tennessee defeated Ole Miss 4-3 in the series finale.

The players

Kennedy Bunker

A senior catcher for Ole Miss who hit a solo home run in game one of the series.

Emilee Boyer

The starting pitcher for Ole Miss in game one, going the distance in the 2-1 victory.

Kyra Aycock

The starting pitcher for Ole Miss in game two, earning the win in the 2-1 victory.

Sage Mardjetko

The starting pitcher for Tennessee in game one, recording 12 strikeouts despite the loss.

Sophia Knight

A Tennessee player who hit a key double in the fifth inning of game two to cut the Rebels' lead to 2-1.

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What’s next

Ole Miss will look to build on this series win as they continue SEC play, facing another ranked opponent in No. 12 Arkansas next weekend.

The takeaway

Ole Miss Softball has shown they can compete with the best teams in the SEC, earning their first conference series win of the season against a top-5 opponent on the road. This result should give the Rebels confidence as they aim to make a push for the NCAA Tournament later this spring.