Ole Miss Comes Up Empty at the Plate in Loss to Mississippi State

Ole Miss had the pitching performance it needed to open the series. What it didn’t have was anything close to the offense required to make it matter.

Emilee Boyer gave the Rebels every chance on Thursday night.

She went the distance, scattered six hits, struck out seven and kept Mississippi State from ever turning the game into anything bigger than a one-run grind.

On most nights, that’s enough to win. On this one, it barely even registered because the bats never showed up.

The only run Boyer allowed came on a solo shot in the second inning. One swing. That was it. And the frustrating part is she settled right back in after that, punching out hitters early, working quick innings late and doing everything you want from your starter in a rivalry game.

She kept Ole Miss in it from the first pitch to the last.

But when the offense produces one infield single, there’s only so much a pitcher can do.

A Persy Llamas blooper in the first inning almost dropped in, but almost doesn’t help much.

From there, Mississippi State’s Alyssa Faircloth took over. She opened with more than four hitless innings and didn’t give Ole Miss many chances to breathe.

When Cassie Reasner finally broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single, Faircloth immediately shut the door with back-to-back strikeouts. That was the theme of the night.

Talk about 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄 🏃‍♀️💨@CassieReasner x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/XERvXXW4pu

— Ole Miss Softball (@OleMissSoftball) May 1, 2026

Every time the Rebels found the smallest crack, it closed just as fast.

Kennedy Bunker reached on a hit-by-pitch in the sixth, but again, nothing came of it. Boyer kept doing her part, but without any pressure on the other side, Mississippi State never had to sweat.

By the time Reasner battled through a long at-bat to end the game, the story was already written. Ole Miss pitched well enough to win. It just didn’t hit at all.

The Rebels get another shot Friday at 6 p.m. on SECN+.