Ole Miss Softball Gears Up for Oxford Regional

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Video by Talbert Toole

The Ole Miss softball team is preparing for the upcoming NCAA Regional this weekend in Oxford as they play host to Chattanooga, Southeast Missouri State and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Ole Miss’ head coach Mike Smith along with a group of select players met with media on Wednesday to talk about the upcoming regional.

“We are excited about getting to host a regional,” Smith said. “Two years ago it was something pretty special in 2017 and now in 2019 its great as this team is looking forward to it.”

After the close of the Tennessee series at home, the Rebels (37-17) weren’t exactly sure they would be able to play postseason ball in front of their fans.

Up first for the Rebels will be a matchup against Chattanooga that comes into town as the No. 4 seed with a 37-15 record.

“Chattanooga comes in with a lot of girls who can swing the bat and they play a lot of small ball,” Smith said.

This season, Ole Miss has three players on the roster that experienced a home NCAA Regional: Kylan Becker, Kaylee Horton and Brittany Finney.

“[We’re] using them and their leadership to let the others know what [the regional] is going to be like,” he said. “That is something that they have talked about with their teammates.”

Ole Miss heads into the tournament as they have dropped the last 5-out-of-6 games.

“We are all hard on ourselves… [we’re] not down but disappointed which is why we weren’t sure if we would host,” Becker said. “Once I realized we were the No. 11 seed I reflected back on the entire season as this is the best season we have ever had with Ole Miss softball. So I don’t think that one bad weekend at Georgia and the loss to Kentucky define our season.”

Ole Miss will take the diamond at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN3.