Softball Hosts Senior Weekend Against No. 17 Auburn

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team wraps up its home schedule with an SEC series against No. 17 Auburn April 28-30. The Gamecocks will recognize their senior class of Jordan Fabian, Natalie Morgan, Donnie Gobourne, and Rachel Vaughan prior to Saturday’s game. Carolina will also recognize its senior managers before Friday’s game, in addition to hosting a concussion awareness game for former Gamecock Madison Owens on Sunday.

👕 Free t-shirt to the first 300 fans
🍿Free popcorn to the first 250 fans
🥎 Auburn
⏰ 6 pm
🌤️ Partly Sunny, 79°
📍 Columbia, S.C.
🏟 Carolina Softball Stadium
🎟 https://t.co/OHPVDVTbOf
📊 https://t.co/AjrGRDw2X2
📺 SEC Network +
📱💻 https://t.co/N6a5gbrd5i pic.twitter.com/IqGPLavYuy

— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) April 28, 2023

GAMEDAY INFORMATION – Senior Weekend
Series History: Auburn leads 38-31
Last Meeting: Auburn 4, South Carolina 3 (10) | March 21, 2022 | Auburn, Ala.

South Carolina Gamecocks 32-15, 7-11 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 13th Season
AVG Leader: .324 | Brooke Blankenship
RBI Leader: 35 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 8 | Jordan Fabian
ERA Leader: 2.49 | Donnie Gobourne
Strikeout Leader: 140 | Donnie Gobourne
Wins Leader: 8 | Donnie Gobourne

#17 Auburn Tigers 35-14, 11-7 SEC
Coach: Mickey Dean | 6th Season
AVG Leader: .349 | Nelia Peralta
RBI Leader: 38 | Bri Ellis
Home Run Leader: 12 | Bri Ellis
ERA Leader: 1.03 | Maddie Penta
Strikeout Leader: 242 | Maddie Penta
Wins Leader: 21 | Maddie Penta

LEADING OFF

• The 2023 season will be the 50th season of Carolina Softball.
• The Gamecocks remained 36th in the most recent RPI.
• Carolina received votes in the ESPN/USA Softball poll this week.
• Donnie Gobourne was selected 17th overall (5th round, 1st pick), in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch Draft Monday night by the Oklahoma City Spark.
  • She becomes the first Gamecock drafted professionally since Samie Garcia in 2013 by the NY/NJ Comets of the former National Pro Fastpitch league.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win against UNC on March 1.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• Against #23 Texas A&M, the Gamecocks shut out the Aggies in back-to-back games for only the second time this season, the other came against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 UCLA, which they combined for 10 hits in those two games. The Gamecocks allowed only 10 hits in the three-game series.
  • It was the first time in program history the Gamecocks swept a ranked SEC opponent while being unranked.
  • It was the first SEC series win for Carolina while being unranked since sweeping Ole Miss April 29-30, 2014.
• South Carolina batters were hit five times against Florida (3/31), the sixth most in a game this season in Division I.
• Donnie Gobourne carried a no-hit bid down to the last strike in the top of the seventh in against #11 Florida (4/2) before surrendering a hit.
  • She became the first Gamecock to throw a one-hitter since Kelsey Oh against Charleston Southern on April 7, 2021.
  • She finished with 15 strikeouts to become the first Carolina pitcher to record 15 in a game since Melissa Hendon against the College of Charleston (2/22/07).
  • Her 15 strikeouts in a game rank 25th among DI pitchers this season.
• The series win over the Gators is the first for the Gamecocks since sweeping them during the 2003 season.
• It’s the first SEC series win, and first SEC series win over a ranked opponent, since defeating Auburn in 2019.
• Carolina leads the SEC in: stolen bases per game (2.06) and total stolen bases (97).
• The Gamecocks rank 10th in the country in fielding (.979), 15th in stolen bases, and 20th in stolen bases per game.
  • They are also rank 25th in doubles (67), 28th in walks (162) and 30th in on-base % (.401).