Ole Miss Closes Out Classic with 5-1 Win Behind Pickens’ Grand Slam

Ole Miss closed out the weekend the way a good Sunday should feel, steady, uncomplicated, and with just enough pop to make the afternoon comfortable.

A 5-1 win over ULM wrapped up the Ole Miss Classic, and the Rebels did it by leaning on two things that have been reliable all season: timely swings and Emilee Boyer’s calm presence in the circle.

The Rebels had chances right away, putting two hits and a walk on the board in the first inning but coming up empty. Instead of letting that linger, they reset in the second and built the kind of inning that fits this team’s personality.

Taylor Roman started it with a single, Grace Thompson and Laylonna Applin followed with walks, and Taylor Malvin punched a ball back up the middle to get Ole Miss on the board. Nothing flashy, just a clean 1–0 lead and a reminder that this lineup doesn’t need much to get rolling.

The real separation came in the fourth, and it came quickly. Roman singled again, Thompson walked again, and Malvin added her second hit to load the bases. That brought up Mackenzie Pickens, who didn’t waste time. One swing, one 0-1 pitch, and a grand slam sailing over the wall in left. Suddenly it was 5-0, and the game felt settled.

Pickens’ swing didn’t just stretch the lead. It gave Boyer room to work exactly the way she likes to.

Boyer cruised through four no-hit innings, striking out five and keeping ULM guessing. Even when the Warhawks finally broke through in the fifth, she immediately rolled her second double play of the day to erase the threat.

The sixth inning brought her biggest test with two on, no outs and she handled it without letting the moment grow. A solo home run in the seventh spoiled the shutout, but not the outing. Boyer finished with eight strikeouts and a complete-game win that never really felt in doubt.

This wasn’t a loud win, but it was a mature one. Ole Miss didn’t need a crooked inning outside of Pickens’ swing. They didn’t need a parade of pitchers. They just played clean softball, trusted their starter, and let the lineup chip away until the game opened up.

At 16-5, they look like a group that’s settling into who they are — patient at the plate, opportunistic with runners on, and confident when Boyer has the ball.

The homestand keeps rolling Tuesday with a doubleheader against UT Martin. First pitch is at 2 p.m. CT, and both games will stream on SECN+.