Gamecocks Join SEC In Honoring Alex Wilcox In Sunday Finale

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 24 South Carolina softball closed a 4-1 week on Sunday at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field as No. 20 UCF took the weekend finale 10-4 after the Gamecocks sealed the series victory on Saturday with a pair of wins. The Knights led 3-2 through three innings before a six-run fifth propelled them to their first win of the weekend.
 
The SEC softball community was united this weekend as all 13 teams participated in the “All for Alex” campaign to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox. Wilcox was a member of the 2018 Mississippi State softball team who inspired the nation with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer. That fight ultimately took her life in the summer of 2018.The 13 SEC schools joined together to wear teal throughout the weekend as the entire league recognized her impact on the softball community nationwide and in the fight against ovarian cancer.
 
South Carolina debuted specially made teal jerseys in the Sunday game against the Knights.
 
“We were happy to join in with the rest of the SEC for this worthy cause,” head coach Beverly Smith said. “I think it’s fantastic. I love the fact that LSU and Beth Torina, with the Geaux Teal Foundation, and Mississippi State we’ve all joined hands to honor Alex Wilcox. What a fantastic player she was in her own right. What an opportunity this is for the SEC to take the lead on bringing awareness to Ovarian Cancer and how important it is.
 
South Carolina (17-7) closed the week with four wins and two top-25 victories. The Gamecocks outscored their foes 25-13 in the five games with a .318 batting average on 27 hits. Carolina drew 27 free bases on its way to a .474 on-base percentage.
 
Aaliyah White closed the week with a team-best five hits on her way to a .556 batting average with four runs. Jordan Fabian and Kassidy Krupit led the way with six RBI.
 
NOTABLE

• With the two wins yesterday, Carolina earned its first series win over a ranked foe since it took down No. 12 Auburn on April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods notably won The Masters shortly after first pitch in Auburn.
• Three different pitchers (Karsen Ochs, Leah Powell and Kelsey Oh) earned wins this week in 29.0 innings of work.
• Seven different Gamecocks (Aaliyah White, Cayla Drotar, Jordan Fabian, Mackenzie Boesel, Kassidy Krupit, Maddie Gallagher and Katie Prebble) had multiple hits this year.
• South Carolina has played 24 games this year. 11 have ended in run-rule wins for Carolina.