Ole Miss softball No. 3 seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament regional. Here's a look at bracket
OXFORD — Six wins in nine games down the stretch proved sufficient to push Ole Miss softball into the NCAA tournament, where it will take on Baylor in the Lafayette Regional to begin play.
The Rebels (31-25) will battle either host Louisiana, the national No. 13 seed, or Princeton in the second game of the regional, which uses a double-elimination format.
It's the eighth consecutive regional appearance for the Rebels, who will be looking to get back to the super-regional round for the first time since 2019. They were one of the last four teams in the field.
The bid comes despite a last-place finish in the SEC regular-season standings for coach Jamie Trachsel's team. At 7-17, Ole Miss finished a game behind Kentucky and South Carolina, but topped the Wildcats in the first round of the SEC tournament before falling to Mizzou.
The Rebels dropped 13 conference games in a row in March and April, but rebounded with a pair of vital series wins, including one at then-No. 8 Arkansas.
Lexie Brady and Aynslie Furbush lead the Rebels with 13 and 12 home runs, respectively. Do-it-all sophomore Jalia Lassiter also ranks among Ole Miss' offensive standouts.
On the mound, Grace Sparks has been the Rebels' best performer, with a 1.97 ERA. Brianna Lopez (3.01 ERA) and Makenna Kliethermes (2.80 ERA) lead the team in innings pitched.
Lafayette Regional Schedule
Friday
Game 1: Louisiana vs. Princeton, 4:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+
Game 2: Ole Miss vs. Baylor, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday
Game 3: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, TBA, TBA
Game 4: G1 loser vs. G2 loser, TBA, TBA
Game 5: G3 loser vs. G4 winner, TBA, TBA
Sunday
Game 6: G3 winner vs. G5 winner, TBA, TBA
Game 7: If necessary
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David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss softball regional No. 3 seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament
