Gamecocks To Host Gamecock Invitational Starting Friday

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- Due to weather-related travel issues, No. 22 South Carolina softball’s Gamecock Invitational scheduled has been shuffled. Carolina will now play one game on Friday, a 3:00 PM first pitch against Boston College. The Gamecocks are still set to face No. 8 Michigan at 3:00 PM on Saturday but will now also face Iowa State at 8:00 PM.
 
Sunday’s tournament conclusion against Elon at 5:30 PM has not changed.
 
All four games will still be streamed live on SEC Network+ with student broadcasters on the call.
 
For season ticket holders with tickets already, use the Boston College/Iowa State ticket on Friday for the Boston College game and the Michigan ticket on Saturday for both the Michigan and Iowa State games. Fans can leave between the Michigan and Iowa State games on Saturday and get back in with their original ticket.
 
Fans are encouraged to park in the Heyward Street Parking Garage for all South Carolina softball games this season.
 
The four games are in the middle of an 11-game home stand that opened Wednesday night for the Gamecocks against North Carolina Central with a 19-1 victory.
 
THE GAMECOCKS

• South Carolina comes into the 2020 season looking to build off a 38-19 season in which it reached the regional championship for the fourth-straight season.
• Carolina welcomes four newcomers (Ellie Bailey, Bailey Betenbaugh, Hannah Kumiyama, Karsen Ochs) as well as Baylor transfer Kassidy Krupit to a roster that will be looking to replace two starters (Kennedy Clark in the outfield and Dixie Raley in the circle).
• The Gamecocks return one of the most experienced middle infields in the country with Kenzi Maguire and Mackenzie Boesel. The two have combined for 352 games played and 348 starts heading into their senior campaign. Broken down, that means the pair has combined to play in 72 percent of all South Carolina games the past four years.
• Head coach Beverly Smith returns for her 10th season leading the Gamecocks. She’s guided the Gamecocks to seven-straight NCAA trips and four-consecutive regional championships, both of which are school records.

MUST WIN AT HOME! AND THE GAMECOCKS DO

• South Carolina is 172-80 (.665) at home during the Beverly Smith era, which does not include a 4-1 record at home while hosting a regional at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
• The Gamecocks have lost more than 10 games at home in a single season just three times in her ten years.
• Carolina has finished .500 or better at home seven of Beverly Smith’s ten years.
• South Carolina has not lost double digit games at home in six years and has won 20 or more the past six seasons.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 171-46 (.780) over the past seven years in games outside the SEC. Notable wins include Texas, Penn State, Houston, Arizona State, North Carolina, Florida State, California, Virginia Tech, USF, Long Beach State, Hofstra and Liberty. 
• The 171 wins are notable because they account for 64 percent of the Carolina wins during that time (yeah, it’s really tough to win SEC games and of course there are more opportunities to win non-conference games. But still).
• This year Carolina is set for at least 20 more non-conference games.
• Carolina had won 26-straight non-conference games (regular season) before the loss to Texas Tech in the second weekend of the year.

CAROLINA HOSTS TOURNAMENTS… AND WINS A LOT 

• Carolina is an amazing 24-0 over the past six seasons in the Gamecock Invitational and is set to host two more tournaments this season.
• The Gamecock pitching staff has shined in the tournaments. In the 24 games during that span, Carolina pitching staffs have allowed three or more runs eight times. On the flip side, eight games have ended as shutouts for South Carolina.
• Including the Carolina Classic, the Gamecocks are 44-1 in their past 45 home tournament games. Carolina’s lone home tournament loss during that stretch came in a 4-1 loss to South Alabama way back in 2015.
• South Carolina went 4-0 in the Gamecock Invitational last season, outscoring teams 40-13.

SOME OF THE GREATS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH

• Trinity Johnson: 2004 Carolina Hall of Fame inductee, three-time All-American, 1996-97 Honda Award for Softball Player of the Year (the first Honda award winner for any sport at Carolina). She recently became the first Gamecock in program history to have her jersey retired. (Jersey was retired on the Saturday of the Alabama series in 2019).
• Tiffany Tootle: Three-time All-American, Led the nation in hits and runs in 1992 and 1993, one of four three-time All-Americans in school history. Was inducted into the UofSC Hall of Fame in 2006 and was the second to receive the honor.
• Megan Matthews Bunning: 1999 NFCA All-American, led the nation in saves in 2000, two All-SEC nods and the 2000 SEC Tournament MVP award. Notably calls home games on the SEC Network + for the Gamecocks.
• Darleen Lowery was a 2014 UofSC Hall of Fame inductee after a career in which she was named a two-time All-American. Notably led the nation with 9.49 strikeouts per seven innings in 1987.

 
WOMEN AT SOUTH CAROLINA: THEY RUN THINGS, Y’ALL

• South Carolina athletics has had plenty of high points to talk about with women’s sports since athletics director Ray Tanner took over in 2012. Since that time, women’s teams have posted 164 All-Americans, 232 All-Conference selections, 30 different national honors, eight national championships, 14 Conference Championships, seven conference tournament championships, finished the season ranked 50 different times and reached the postseason 63 times (11 teams).
• The past five years have been equally impressive with 103 All-Americans, 167 All-Conference selections, 21 national awards, four national championships 12 conference championships, five conference tournament championships, finished ranked 40 times and reached the postseason 47 times.
• Last year alone Carolina’s women’s teams had 24 All-Americans, 35 All-Conference selections, seven different national awards, nine conference awards, two national championships, two conference championships, one conference tournament championship, finished ranked 11 times and reached the postseason 10 times.
• Category leaders since 2012 include: Track and Field with 93 All-Americans, 63 All-SEC Selections, Women’s Tennis with 15 national awards, Equestrian with 37 conference awards, Track and Field with six national championships, Swimming and Diving with five conference championships, Women’s Basketball with four conference tournament championships, Women’s Golf along with Equestrian and Basketball with seven seasons finishing ranked and Track and Field with eight postseason trips.