Despite breaking out of an offensive slump and scoring 26 runs over the weekend, Auburn softball lost its home series to No. 20 Ole Miss. The Tigers dropped two of three games to the Rebels.
While this was the team’s sixth straight conference series loss, there were still plenty of bright spots.
Auburn recorded its second top-25 victory in the last two weekends after taking a game against No. 5 Florida in Gainesville, Florida, last Saturday. The Tigers also saw their offense come to life, scoring 10 or more runs in their final two games of the series.
It was a neck-and-neck series throughout, and Game one on Friday was no exception. Ole Miss broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on a solo home run from left fielder LayLonna Aplin before adding another run in the sixth to go up 2-0.
Down two in the bottom of the seventh inning, right fielder McKaela Walker provided the Tigers with one of the clutchest hits of the season. On a 1-0 count, the senior crushed a game-tying two-run home run to force extra innings. The Rebels responded quickly in the top of the eighth inning, however. After a leadoff home run by second baseman Mackenzie Pickens chased Auburn starter Ella Harrison from the game, Ole Miss added three more insurance runs in the inning to secure a 6-2 extra-innings victory.
Game two saw the Tigers attempt a comeback after falling behind 10-3 through the first three innings. Auburn battled back in the fourth, cutting the deficit to four runs, only for the Rebels to answer with three runs in the top of the sixth. Down seven heading into the bottom of the sixth, Auburn roared back with five runs on home runs from shortstop Alyssa Hastings (who added to her seven-RBI night) and first baseman AnnaLea Adams. However, the Tigers were held scoreless in the seventh, ending Game 2 as a 13-11 Rebels win.
The Tigers avoided the sweep in Game 3, led by another offensive explosion, putting up 13 runs in a five-inning run-rule victory. Down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Auburn stunned Ole Miss by scoring 11 runs in the frame. Hastings was once again the hero for the Tigers, ending the game early with a bases-clearing three-run double to secure a 13-3 run-rule victory and cap off the team’s final home regular-season game of the year.
With just one SEC series left before postseason play begins — a matchup against No. 12 LSU in Baton Rouge next week, Auburn will look to keep its offense producing at an impressive rate.
Make sure to catch Auburn softball next week as they take on No. 12 LSU on the road in a battle of the Tigers.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
