Softball Hosts No. 16/19 Minnesota, Plays at No. 4/3 Tennessee

March 18, 2014

The Dugout Club – Kristen Struett

South Carolina Hosts No. 16/19 Minnesota
Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field – Columbia, S.C.
Wed., March 19, 6 PM
Live Video | | @GamecockSoftbll

South Carolina at No. 4/3 Tennessee
Sherri Parker Lee Stadium – Knoxville, Tenn.
Weekend’s Links (all times Eastern)
Fri., March 21, 6 PM
Live Audio | | @GamecockSoftbll

Sat., March 22, 1:30 PM
Live Audio | | @GamecockSoftbll

Sun., March 23, 2:30 PM (ESPNU)
Live Audio | | @GamecockSoftbll

2014 SC Softball Notes – 3/18

2014 SC Softball Stats – 3/15

South Carolina Team Notes

South Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak with the 8-0 (5) win over Eastern Kentucky.
The Gamecocks’ 3-2 win at No. 3/3 Arizona State marked the first win at a top-five team’s park since March 13, 2004, a 6-4 win in nine innings at LSU.
The four double plays in the Florida Atlantic win (2/16) is believed to be a school record, as it matches what was once listed but could not be verified.
After posting only eight hits combined in the first two games, South Carolina tallied at least eight in each the next seven. Overall, the Gamecocks have five or more hits in 22 of 25 games.
In the Ball State loss, South Carolina snapped a streak of 11 games with one or no errors, a stretch that included a 10-game winning streak.
While no Gamecocks rank in the SEC top 15 in stolen bases, seven different student-athletes have three or more on the year, helping the team stand eighth overall in the league.
The Gamecocks’ win in game one against Western Carolina came when they were down after five innings, the first South Carolina triumph coming back that late in a game this season.
This year’s 14-2 start is bettered only by a 12-1 mark by the 2009 team in the last six years of Gamecock Softball. The 2007 Gamecocks went 24-3, the best start since the first year of SEC play.
The college veterans have come through with runners on third and less than two outs, as Ansley Ard, Dana Hathorn, Chelsea Hawkins, Ashlyn Masters and Sarah Mooney have posted 19 RBI in 24 chances. The rest of the team is 13-for-37.
Junior Sarah Mooney, a transfer from James Madison, has a team-best seven homers on the year, tying for the 11th spot in the single-season charts at South Carolina just 22 games into the year.
All of South Carolina’s losses have come when they’ve given up four or more earned runs. In fact, of the 85 team earned runs allowed, 53 have come in the eight losses.
The Gamecocks seem to be allergic to offense in the second inning, hitting .202 with four runs in the frame. They hit over .250 with 16 or more runs in all other frames.

Monumental Weekend for Gamecocks and Coach Smith vs. Texas A&M

South Carolina won its first series over a ranked SEC opponent since 2009 with Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of No. 13/15 Texas A&M.
It also stands as the first SEC series win in Carolina Softball Stadium for the Gamecocks in five tries in the new facility.
The second win on March 15 marked Beverly Smith’s 100th at South Carolina.
The come-from-behind in the bottom of the seventh is the first since March 11, 2012 vs. Arkansas.
Both games featured two-run, walk-off homers, Evan Childs with the one over the Hogs in 2012 and Ashlyn Masters with the shot against the Aggies.
Entering the seventh tied, the Gamecocks won their first game in that scenario in 2014. Five times, South Carolina did that in 2013, with three in SEC play (at Mississippi State and at Auburn twice).
Julie Sarratt earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors for getting the win and the save during the doubleheader along with her win over Eastern Kentucky on March 11.

The Pitchers Reign Supreme

Both redshirt junior Julie Sarratt and freshman Nickie Blue have won weekly awards from the Southeastern Conference, Sarratt most recently being named pitcher of the week on March 17.
Blue earned her first SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Feb. 24 after picking up a win and two saves in relief as well as her first career shutout vs. Michigan State.
When Blue pitches, she’s produced over double the ground-ball outs (115) versus fly outs (53).
Blue has three saves, tying for 10th in a single season at South Carolina and one away from joining six others in a tie for fourth.
Sarratt picked up SEC Pitcher of the Week honors on March 17 after going 2-0 with a save the week prior, which included a complete-game, nine strikeout win over No. 13/15 Texas A&M.
Sarratt’s fanned 80 batters in 71.1 innings, a rate (7.85 K/7IP) over three K’s better her career standard (4.56) entering the year.
Sarratt struck out a career-high 10 in the win over Maryland, while she sat down nine in her complete-game victory over No. 13/15 Texas A&M, her best in an SEC game.
She is at her best with two strikes against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .072 batting average (6-of-83) with 52 of her K’s in those circumstances.
Sarratt already owns four saves on the year, tying for fourth at South Carolina in a single season. Her next save would tie her with Aleca Johnson in third in a single year.
Both are better in relief (Sarratt 0.78 ERA, Blue 1.01) than starting (Sarratt 2.36, Blue 4.05). In fact, boths strikeout-to-walk ratio is 3:1 or better out of the bullpen.
The group posted a 29-inning scoreless streak from the final game at Florida Atlantic till the final game of the Gamecock Invitational. UNC Wilmington posted a first-inning unearned run.
As a team, the Gamecock pitchers have allowed 0.04 triples and 0.39 homers per game, which ranks sixth and third in the league, respectively.
The staff has given up only two runs in the fifth inning all year.

Scouting Minnesota

The Golden Gophers are 21-3 on the season and hold the 16th spot in the latest NFCA poll.
The first loss came against No. 1/2 Florida (15-2 [6]) in Las Vegas, while they beat LSU in Baton Rouge 1-0 in the year’s opening weekend.
Under fourth-year head coach Jessica Allister, Minnesota went to its first NCAA Tournament last season in a decade.
This is the second foe the Golden Gophers will face twice with at least two weeks between games. UM beat Oklahoma State 1-0 at LSU before falling 5-4 in Stillwater in the second meeting.
One All-American returns in junior Kaitlyn Richardson, who led the team in five offensive categories including all three “slash” stats (.430/.544/.705).
Also returning is junior Tyler Walker, a year after posting 15 doubles, 12 homers and 53 runs while finishing behind Richardson in the slash categories (.379/.462/.681).
Both are doing well in 2014, leading the team in everything except for sacrifice hits between them.
The team had 39 stolen bases already, led by Walker and senior Bree Blanchette’s 7-of-8 marks.
Junior Erica Meyer is 6-for-7 when trying to steal and leads the squad with four sacrifice bunts.
Meyer (23-of-27 SB), Walker (20-of-23) and Blanchette (18-of-19) led the team last year in steals.
In the circle, senior Sara Moulton and sophomore Nikki Anderson return.
The ace Moulton tossed 275.2 innings, fanning 308 and walking 69 to tally a 1.57 ERA in 2013, and she’s already gone 95 innings with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 141 and walking only 23.
Freshman Sara Groenewegen has gone 36.2 innings, striking out 60 and walking 18 for a 3.05 ERA. She’s allowed each of the Golden Gophers five home runs.
Groenewegen has also hit a team-high six homers and driven in 16 runs this year.

The Last Meeting

Minnesota	11

South Carolina	4

February 28, 2014
Tempe, Ariz.

South Carolina Falls to No. 19/20 Minnesota 11-4

South Carolina made designs on a comeback bid after falling down early to No. 19/20 Minnesota, but the Golden Gophers (14-1) ended the contest with an 11-4 win over the Gamecocks (14-3) on Friday afternoon at Farrington Stadium.

Recap | Box Score

Minnesota and South Carolina Against Common Foes

Minnesota won at UNC Greensboro 8-0 (5), while the Gamecocks won a 13-0 (5) game at home against the Spartans.
Both teams own 3-2 wins over then-No. 3/3 Arizona State.

Series History vs. the Golden Gophers

The Gamecocks are 2-1 against Minnesota all-time, including a win in the 1988 Mideast Regional at Arizona.

The Last Time – Minnesota vs. South Carolina – Feb 28, 2014

In the Arizona State Louisville Slugger Invitational, No. 19/20 Minnesota claimed a 11-4 win over South Carolina.
The Gamecocks were weakened, with 10 players being treated for stomach problems over the night before the game.

Scouting Tennessee

Heading into Tuesday’s game against Middle Tennessee State, the Lady Vols are 24-3 and ranked fourth and third in the major polls.
Both teams own wins over Western Carolina, the Lady Vols getting a 15-0 (5) victory.
Pitching leads Tennessee, and senior Ellen Renfroe anchors the staff with a 0.49 ERA, striking out 124 while walking 13 in 99.1 innings of work.
Eight possible offensive starters have on-base percentages over .400.
Senior Madison Shipman leads Tennessee’s offense in six categories, including standing as the only Lady Vol with an on-base percentage over .500. Her seven homers also tops the team.
Senior Melissa Davin has a team-best 24 RBI and is tied for second with sophomore Lexi Overstreet with six homers.
Freshman Annie Aldrete, the niece of former MLB regular Mike Aldrete, has two triples and ranks second on the team with 23 RBI.
Freshman Megan Geer tops the team with nine doubles and 10 stolen bases without being caught.She’s also drawn 19 walks.

The Last Meeting

South Carolina	0

Tennessee (Quarterfinals)	5

May 9, 2013
Lexington, Ky.

Gamecocks Fall to No. 4/4 Tennessee 5-0 to Close SEC Tournament Run

No. 4/4 Tennessee (44-9) posted three runs in the first, more than enough for junior pitcher Ellen Renfroe to help the Lady Vols take a 5-0 win over South Carolina (32-23) in the quarterfinals of the 2013 SEC Tournament on Thursday night at John Cropp Stadium.

Recap | Box Score |

Ties between South Carolina and Tennessee

Three freshmen, Tennessee’s Taylor Koenig and Megan Geer along with South Carolina’s Kaylea Snaer, all played for the SoCal Athletics group before college.

Series History vs. the Lady Vols

Tennessee owns a 32-15 lead in the all-time meetings, including a 16-7 advantage in Knoxville.
South Carolina last beat Tennessee on April 1, 2003, falling in the last 25 encounters.
In Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, the Gamecocks are 0-5.

The Last Meeting – Tennessee vs. South Carolina – May 9, 2013

No. 4/4 Tennessee (44-9) posted three runs in the first, more than enough for junior pitcher Ellen Renfroe to help the Lady Vols take a 5-0 win over South Carolina (32-23) in the quarterfinals of the 2013 SEC Tournament on Thursday night at John Cropp Stadium.

Gamecocks vs. Ranked Opponents

South Carolina is 97-231-1 (.296) all-time against ranked opponents.
Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 43-74 (.368) at home, 16-103 (.134) on the road and 38-54-1 (.414) in neutral-site outings.
So far this season, the Gamecocks are 3-5 against ranked teams, with the next four games coming against top-20 foes according to this week’s NFCA poll..
Last season, the Gamecocks went 3-16 (.158) against ranked foes, including a 2-7 mark when playing in the opponent’s home park and a 1-8 record at home.
With the 3-2 win at No. 3/3 Arizona State on Feb. 27, South Carolina is now 2-21 against top-five opposition on the road.
The Gamecocks won their first series over a ranked foe since 2009 by taking two of three games from then-No. 13/15 Texas A&M.

The Joys of Playing at Home

After playing only 17 games at its home facility last season, tying the second-lowest mark in the SEC era (since 1997), South Carolina has scheduled 34 games for Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field before hosting the 2014 SEC Softball Tournament.
Barring any rainouts, it would take two postseason games at home to tie the 2002 team’s record with 36 home games.
The Gamecocks have already surpassed their 2013 home win total, going 12-2 this year compared to 7-10 in Carolina Softball Stadium a year ago.
Out of those 14 home games, South Carolina has posted a shutout in eight of them.
In the 10 home dates, the Gamecocks have posted paid crowds over 1,000 in eight of them.

The Road Gets Tougher

The Gamecocks have scheduled 24 of their 55 regular-season games against teams who made the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Next up is Minnesota and Tennessee, both at-large teams last year.
South Carolina downed No. 3/3 Arizona State before falling to No. 19/20 Minnesota in its first two encounters against 2013 NCAA Tournament teams.
A total of 35 of the Gamecocks’ scheduled games come against teams that finished in the top 100 of the NCAA’s Ratings Percentage Index last year. Of those, 21 are against RPI top-50 teams.
After facing nothing but NCAA Tournament participants in SEC play last year, South Carolina has two conference weekends against non-tourney teams this year (home vs. Mississippi & Auburn).
Two of the Gamecocks’ SEC contests will be on television, including the opening game to ESPN’s national coverage (March 23 at Tennessee on ESPNU).
The Gamecocks’ April 19 game against LSU will also be on ESPNU, while all nine games of the SEC Softball Tournament will be on the ESPN family of networks.

History in the Making

South Carolina has played 2,019 games in its softball history, going 1316-697-6 (.653) in its 41st season of sponsorship.
With the season-opening 1-0 win over Iowa, the Gamecocks gained their 1,300th program victory.
Gamecock head coach Beverly Smith next victory puts her in second in program history, surpassing Lou Piel’s 100 wins in four seasons (1983-86).
Smith moved into third on SC’s coaching wins list with the 13-0 (5) victory vs. UNC Greensboro.
She is the third Gamecock head coach to coach a fourth season at South Carolina, joining Piel and NFCA Hall-of-Fame coach Joyce Compton.