Gamecocks Set for Final Road Series at Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The South Carolina softball team heads out for its finale road series of the season, when the Gamecocks travel to No. 21 Kentucky April 26-28.

RV South Carolina Gamecocks 30-17, 6-12 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .355 | Carlie Henderson
RBI Leader: 29 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 5 | Kianna Jones and Aniyah Black
ERA Leader: 0.86 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 93 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 13 | Alana Vawter

#21 Kentucky Wildcats 29-16, 7-11 SEC
Coach: Rachel Lawson | 15th Season
AVG Leader: .373 | Rylea Smtih
RBI Leader: 34 | Grace Lorsung
ERA Leader: 2.47 | Stephanie Schoonover
Strikeout Leader: 153 | Stephanie Schoonover
Wins Leader: 17 | Stephanie Schoonover

Series Information
Series History: South Carolina leads 40-36
Last Meeting: Kentucky 13, South Carolina 5 | May 8, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.
Series History – Last 10
H: 19-19   A: 19-16   N: 2-1
5/6/2018 – A – W, 9-3
3/8/2019 – H – L, 5-0
3/9/2019 – H – L – 11-2 (5)
3/10/2019 – H – L, 5-1
5/7/2021 – A – L, 4-3
5/8/2021 – A – L, 6-3
5/8/2021 – A – L, 3-2 (8)
5/6/2022 – H – W, 6-4
5/7/2022 – H – L, 11-1
5/8/2022 – H – L, 13-5 (5)

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 continues a streak of 13 consecutive games against a top-25 opponent.
  • It’s the third straight season playing 10 or more in-a-row against a ranked foe.
  • It’s the longest stretch of games against top-25 foes in program history (11 twice)
• It’s the first meeting in Lexington since the 2021 season, a sweep for the Wildcats.
• The Gamecocks lead the all-time series at Kentucky 19-16.
• Carolina turned four double plays against Florida Sunday, tying a program record for the second time this season.
  • They’re the only team in D1 to turn four double plays in a game twice this season.
  • They rank 10th in the nation in double plays per game and 3rd in overall DP’s.
• 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 3rd in D1 for the most extra inning games this season with 8 (Rutgers & UNCG, 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 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: 121
  • Innings pitched: 821 2-3
• Ranks second in DI and NCAA in appearances with 159
• Ranks second in DI and fifth overall in wins (90)
• Ranks second in DI and fourth overall in complete games (81)
• Ranks third in DI and seventh overall in shutouts (29)
• Ranks 16th in DI in ERA with a 1.81
• Ranks 17th in DI and 37th overall in strikeouts at 610

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 168-393-1 (.300) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
• Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 82-138 (.373) at home, 41-181 (.185) on the road and 46-73-1 (.388) in neutral-site outings.
• This season, they’ve defeated #10 Florida, #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 2,623 games in its softball history, going 1,687-929-7 (.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.