Gamecocks Preview Upcoming Fall Games

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- South Carolina softball opens its 2019 fall schedule this weekend when it plays host to three games and later hits the road to continue its tradition of homecoming opportunities for student-athletes. Fall action opens Friday against Anderson University at 7:00 p.m. at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. 
 
Carolina continues onward Saturday with two games against Charlotte and College of Charleston starting at 3:00 p.m. 
 
The weekend concludes on Sunday in Hartsville, S.C. when the Gamecocks travel to senior Cayla Drotar’s hometown to face Coker College at 2:00 p.m. The homecoming game is a longstanding tradition of head coach Beverly Smith’s to give each player an opportunity to play in, or close to, their hometown before they graduate. 
 
Admission to all fall games, home and on the road, is free. There will be no live stats, live streams or play-by-play on social media for any fall games. All stats and results will not count toward official records and will not be kept. 
 
South Carolina will enter into the year coming off a 38-19 season in which it advanced to its fourth-straight regional final under Smith and the program’s seventh-consecutive postseason berth to set a new record for consecutive years in regional action. 
 
HEAD COACH BEVERLY SMITH QUOTABLE 
“Well I think all of our rookies are going to get a lot of time this weekend. So, if you’re interested, come on out and check it out. But Kassidy Krupit is doing a great job for us. We’ve got Ellie Bailey at third. Hannah Kumiyama, Alyssa Kumiyama’s sister, has been fantastic. And then we’ve got two fresh arms on the mound with Karsen Ochs and Bailey Betenbaugh. Bailey won’t throw this weekend, but Karsen’s been a lot of fun to watch at practice, as well.”
 
SENIOR CAYLA DROTAR QUOTABLE 
“Oh Hartsville. I’m super excited! I’m super excited to see everybody. You know I’ve been inviting everybody. Been tweetin’ telling everybody. So, I’m super excited, I can’t wait to play in front of everybody again. It’s going to feel like I’m back in Heart School playing for Red Foxes. But just playing for Gamecocks now. I’m super excited to go back and see everybody and get to play with my team.”
 
JUNIOR KELSEY OH QUOTABLE 
There’s been great energy and we’re all meshing super well. We’re all excited to play with each other. I’m so excited to just play more, and practice more, and see it in the game.
 
SOPHOMORE KASSIDY KRUPIT QUOTABLE 
“I’m a pretty versatile player. You can pretty much put me anywhere on the infield. Just anywhere you need me, I’ll be there. I can hit far. I can hit short. I can hit the gaps. I can bunt. So just anything the team really needs I’m here for.” 
 
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check back with gamecocksonline.com and gamecocksoftball.com. Subscribe to South Carolina on Stanza to get schedule updates directly in your calendars.  
 
FULL WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Fri – Anderson (7:00 PM) 
Sat. – Charlotte (3:00 PM) 
Sat. – College of Charleston (5:00 PM) 
Sun. – at Coke College (2:00 PM)