Gamecocks Announce 2019 Schedule
FULL SCHEDULE
COLUMBIA, S.C. —-South Carolina softball and head coach Beverly Smith proudly announced the 2019 schedule on Thursday. The schedule features 33 games against teams that reached the postseason last season, five against conference champions and five against conference runners up.
The challenging slate includes 29 home, 14 road and 11 neutral site games. The Gamecocks are set to play in two countries and seven states during the 2019 campaign.
“Scheduling is important,” Smith said. “And every year I try to challenge the team to position ourselves so we can be considered one of the top-16 seeds at the end of the season. Obviously it’s up to our team to play and compete in this schedule but I think it’s my job to challenge the team to get to where we want to be at the end of the season. The SEC schedule is always a grind but I really like the non-conference schedule that we have both at home and on the road.”
Based on last season’s final RPI ranking, Carolina will face 26 games against opponents in the RPI top-50, including 18 against top-20 teams. Twenty-two of those contests will feature the Gamecocks against opponents that finished in the final 2018 NFCA Coaches top-25 poll.
FEBURARY SCHEDULE
The Gamecocks open the 2019 season on Feb. 7 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for the Puerto Vallarta Challenge. Carolina will face BYU, Baylor, Duke, Notre Dame and UNC over the course of its week in Mexico in the program’s first games outside of the United States.
Carolina returns home for the Gamecock Invitational Feb. 15-20 before hitting the road again for the Charlotte First Pitch Classic Feb. 23-24. The Gamecocks finish the month playing host to Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27.
In total, February will feature six games at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
MARCH SCHEDULE
The challenging month of March opens with Carolina traveling to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Tournament to close out the non-conference schedule before the Gamecocks return home to face Winthrop on Mar. 6.
The SEC schedule starts with a three-game series at home against Kentucky starting Mar. 8. The Gamecocks stay home for two midweek home games to finish up a seven-game homestand before returning to conference play with a three-set at Arkansas starting March 15.
Carolina returns home from Fayetteville for a five-game homestand starting with Duke on Mar. 20. The Gamecocks host Ole Miss for a three-game matchup starting Mar. 23 before hosting a midweek against George State on Mar. 27.
The month closes with a conference series at LSU starting Mar. 29.
In total, March will feature 12 games in Columbia.
APRIL SCHEDULE
April opens with five-straight home games for the Gamecocks, including a three-game series against Alabama starting Apr. 5. After closing out the homestand against Furman on Apr. 10, Carolina hits the road for a conference set against Auburn starting Apr. 12.
The final homestand of the year opens with USC Upstate on Apr. 17before the Gamecocks welcome Georgia to Columbia starting April 26.
In total, April features 11 home games.
MAY SCHEDULE
The pivotal month of May opens with regular season action closing at Missouri starting May 3. SEC Tournament action is set for May 8-12 in College Station, Texas.
NCAA Regionals will be held at campus sites May 18-20 before Super Regionals May 25-27.
The 2019 Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., is set for May 30-Jun 3.
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check with gamecocksonline.com.
