CONWAY, Ark. – Back in action against another SEC team, the Central Arkansas softball team hosts Ole Miss on Wednesday, playing the Rebels for the second time this season. First pitch at Natalie Shock Stadium is set for 5 p.m.
Central Arkansas (23-14, 5-4 ASUN) picked up a series win over Austin Peay over the weekend, taking two of three games against the Governors. The Bears captured the first two games, then dropped the third to miss out on the sweep. Big innings were the name of the game all weekend, with Central Arkansas scoring four or more runs in four separate innings across the two wins, while Austin Peay had a big fifth inning in game three to snare that one.
The Bears are still led by their top three hitters in the order,
Renee Christian (.409),
Trinity Brandon (.383) and
Addie Graham (.379). The trio has a combined 126 hits, 30 doubles, six triples and eight home runs, also combining for 48 walks and 37 stolen bases. The power is a little further down the order, with
Emma Robertson leading the team with seven homers and 40 RBI this season.
Ole Miss enters the week 23-15 and 2-10 in SEC games, having won its first two conference games of the season this past weekend. The Rebels beat No. 4 Tennessee two games to one in a three-game set, winning a series in Knoxville for the first time in program history. The Rebels also play a midweek game at Memphis on Tuesday before making the trip to Conway on Wednesday.
The Rebels are a typical SEC team, with more home runs than combined doubles and triples (44 home runs, 42 other extra base hits), and Ole Miss has six hitters with five or more home runs this season. Madi George is a do-it-all hitter at the plate, leading the Rebels with a .385 average and ten home runs, giving her a .740 slugging percentage and a .488 on base percentage. The power in the lineup has helped Ole Miss outscore opponents 214-147 this season.
Wednesday marks the fourth SEC game of the season for the Bears, who regularly test themselves against arguably the best softball conference in the nation. The Bears are looking for their first win in the SEC since the 2023 season, when Central Arkansas went 2-2 against the conference.
First pitch on Wednesday is set for 5 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online.
