Gamecocks Set for SEC Series at Florida Starting Friday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The South Carolina softball begins an SEC series at No. 10 Florida Friday, with Saturday and Sunday’s games both being televised on the SEC Network.

Series Information
Series History: Florida leads 53-23
Last Meeting: South Carolina 3, Florida 0 | April 2, 2023 | Columbia, S.C.
Series History – Last 10
H: 11-23       A: 9-25      N: 3-5
4/14/2018 – A – L, 7-0
4/14/2018 – A – L, 3-0
5/12/2018 – N – L, 3-1
5/8/2019 – N – L, 6-5
4/23/2021 – A – W, 2-1
4/24/2021 – A – L, 6-0
4/25/2021 – A – L, 4-2
3/31/2023 – H – W, 13-10
4/1/2023 – H – L, 8-1
4/2/2023 – H – W, 3-0

RV South Carolina Gamecocks 29-15, 5-10 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .355 | Carlie Henderson
RBI Leader: 28 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 5 | Kianna Jones
ERA Leader: 0.62 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 92 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 12 | Alana Vawter

#10 Florida Gators 35-9, 10-5 SEC
Coach: Tim Walton | 19th Season
AVG Leader: .434 | Korbe Otis
RBI Leader: 54 | Jocelyn Erickson
Home Run Leader: 13 | Reagan Walsh
ERA Leader: 1.99 | Keagan Rothrock
Strikeout Leader: 136 | Keagan Rothrock
Wins Leader: 18 | Keagan Rothrock

LEADING OFF

• The 2024 season will be the 51st season for the Carolina Softball team.
• Carolina received votes in the two main polls this week by NFCA/USA Today and by ESPN/USA Softball.
• This weekend caps off a streak of 10 consecutive games against a top-25 opponent.
  • It’s the third straight season playing 10 or more in-a-row against a ranked foe.
• The Gamecocks won the series last year in Columbia as Donnie Gobourne nearly threw a no-hitter, losing it with two outs in the seventh inning.
• In game one, Carolina overcame a four-run deficit (10-6) to defeat the Gators 13-10.
• The Gamecocks earned a walk-off win over Winthrop on April 3 in 11 innings.
  • It’s the fourth time this season Carolina has played 10-plus innings, the most in Division I.
• It’s the most 10-plus inning games in a season since 1995, while 1986 holds the record with five. Carolina also played four in 1988.
• Carolina is 2nd in D1 for the most extra-inning games this season with 8 (Rutgers, 9).
• Alana Vawter was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week on April 2.
• The Gamecocks swept Ole Miss, their first SEC road sweep since 2013 (4/26-28, at Mississippi State).
• Carolina turned a triple play in the third inning against Charleston Southern, the first in the recorded history of Carolina softball (since at least 2000).
  • It’s the fourth triple play recorded this season in Division I.
• The Gamecocks won earlier this season at No. 11 Clemson 6-4 in 12 innings.
  • It was the longest game for Carolina since a 4-3 loss to Arkansas on April 15, 2000.
• The 2-0 win in nine innings over Ole Miss was the longest shutout for the Gamecocks since a 1-0 win over Longwood on Feb. 11, 2017, also in nine innings.
• Jori Heard threw a perfect game in the 4-0 win over Bethune-Cookman on March 2. It was the first 7-inning perfect game in Division I this season.
  • Heard’s perfect game is the 11th in program history, as she becomes the seventh Gamecock pitcher to earn perfection.
  • It was the first perfect game for South Carolina since Melissa Hendon against Pittsburgh on March 4, 2007.
  • Six of Carolina’s 10 previous perfect games came between 1995 and 1997 and were thrown by either Trinity Johnson (5) or Darlene Gareis (2).

VAWTER ON THE NATIONAL STAGE

Alana Vawter joined the Gamecocks after an outstanding four-year career at Stanford. Her awards list in long, but she also ranks among the nation’s active career leaders in a myriad of pitching categories:

• She ranks first in not only Division I but among all NCAA players in:
  • Game started: 120
  • Innings pitched: 809 2-3
• Ranks second in DI and NCAA in appearances with 157
• Ranks second in DI and fifth overall in wins (89)
• Ranks second in DI and fourth overall in complete games (80)
• Ranks third in DI and seventh overall in shutouts (29)
• Ranks 16th in DI in ERA with a 1.77
• Ranks 17th in DI and 37th overall in strikeouts at 608

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• Jen Cummings ranks 4th in DI with 50 career hit by pitches.
• She also ranks 6th among all divisions.

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• South Carolina is 167-391-1 (.300) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
• Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 82-138 (.373) at home, 40-179 (.183) on the road and 46-73-1 (.388) in neutral-site outings.
• This season, they’ve defeated #17 Arkansas, #16 Mississippi State, #11 Clemson, #24 Boston U and #13 Utah.
• In 2023, the Gamecocks went 12-16 against ranked opponents. Earning victories over #3 Florida State, #4 Tennessee, #13 Georgia, #11 Florida (twice), #14 LSU, #16 Alabama, #16 Auburn (twice), and #23 Texas A&M (three).

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD

• South Carolina has played 2,620 games in its softball history, going 1,686-927-7 (.645) in its 51 years of history.
• The Gamecocks have posted 30 or more wins in eight of the past 10 full seasons under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith.
• Carolina has protected home well, also, with 17 or more victories coming in friendly confines each of the past eight full years.

For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.