Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. (05/15/2026) — The Ole Miss Rebels powered three home runs and rode a dominant relief effort to a 9-4 victory over the Boston University Terriers on Friday at Tracy Sellers Field, weathering an early Terriers rally before pulling away in the middle innings.
How It Happened
Ole Miss came out swinging. In the bottom of the first, Madi George turned on a pitch from Kasey Ricard and drove it over the center field wall, scoring Persy Llamas ahead of her for a quick 2-0 lead. Boston University answered immediately in the top half's continuation, as Kieren McHugh ripped a single to shallow left-center to score Kylie Doherty, and an error by third baseman R. Starr on a S. Naivar grounder allowed Camryn Lyons to scamper home. Just like that, the score was knotted at 2-2.
The Rebels regained command in the third. Llamas crushed a two-run homer to right field, plating M. Pickens, and Laylonna Applin followed with an RBI single to deep left that scored George. Boston University refused to fade quietly — Doherty answered with a solo shot to center, and Olivia DeLong drew a bases-loaded walk that brought home Megan Coyle to trim the deficit to 5-4.
From there, Ole Miss slammed the door. T. Malvin's productive groundout in the fifth scored Cassie Reasner, and Kennedy Bunker then delivered the dagger — a three-run blast to right field that scored T. Grisham and R. Starr ahead of her, blowing the game open at 9-4.
Turning Point
The deciding sequence came in the bottom of the fifth. With Boston University still within striking distance at 5-4, the Rebels manufactured a run on Malvin's groundout before Bunker's three-run homer turned a one-score game into a five-run cushion. The 4-0 run effectively ended Boston University's comeback hopes and let Ole Miss's bullpen close things out without serious resistance.
Equally pivotal was the work of Kyra Aycock in the circle. After Lilly Whitten exited following 2.1 innings in which she surrendered four runs on three hits, Aycock entered and tossed three scoreless frames, scattering just two hits while striking out three. Emilee Boyer finished it off with 1.2 hitless, scoreless innings and two punchouts, blanking Boston University over the final 4.2 innings combined.
Star of the Game
Madi George set the tone for everything that followed. The Ole Miss bat went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and the first-inning homer that staked the Rebels to an early lead. Her ability to deliver on the first pitch she squared up changed the complexion of the afternoon.
Llamas wasn't far behind, finishing 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Bunker's 2-for-5 line was headlined by the back-breaking three-run shot in the fifth that produced three of her three RBI.
For Boston University, Doherty was the clear standout — 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and an RBI. She reached base in all four trips to the plate and provided nearly all of the Terriers' offensive juice.
What It Means
The win extends a productive stretch for the Ole Miss Rebels, who used balance — three different players homered, six recorded multiple hits — to compensate for a shaky start from the staff. The performances from Aycock and Boyer in relief stand out, giving the Rebels a blueprint for managing innings deep into postseason play.
For the Boston University Terriers, the loss came despite an aggressive offensive showing early. Doherty's day at the plate underscores the talent in the lineup, but Ricard absorbed a heavy workload, going the distance for seven innings while allowing 14 hits and nine runs. Limiting the long ball — Ole Miss connected three times — will be the focus moving forward.
The Rebels improve their resume with another quality win at Tracy Sellers Field, while the Terriers look to regroup as their schedule continues.
