Jan. 14, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team returned to practice on Sunday after the December holiday break, beginning the final buildup to the 2013 opening day set for Feb. 8 in DeLand, Fla.

The Gamecocks began with a team meeting and received some gear to start Sunday’s first day of practice. After a team lunch, the student-athletes got back to work, practicing hitting in the cages at the USC Field House and fielding on the fields beyond the right-field fence at Beckham Field.

“It was a day of softball,” said Gamecock head coach Beverly Smith. “It was a beautiful, sunny, 77-degree day in Columbia in January (on Sunday), so we took advantage of it. The team had high energy all day and was excited to see each other and get back to work. We’re off to a great start.”

Monday saw the team start with a fitness test. The team continued its divide with hitting happening indoors and fielding work coming on the soccer practice fields. When working on fielding, the Gamecocks can view the progress of the new Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field, scheduled to open in mid-March.

One schedule change has occurred for the Gamecocks. Instead of five games on the season-opening weekend at Stetson, the Gamecocks will now play four, with the first game now set against the host Hatters at 6:30 p.m. EST at Patricia Wilson Field. South Carolina faces Stetson and Michigan State twice each in the event over Feb. 8-10.

Also this weekend, CollegeSportsMadness.com released its preseason All-SEC team and named Gamecock senior shortstop Samie Garcia to its second team. Garcia is the top returning hitter for the Gamecocks, ranking second last year in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Season tickets are on sale now for Gamecock Softball, and the first 450 season tickets purchased will get the chance to pick their seat in the grandstand at the new Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field before the season begins. To order, visit GamecocksOnline.com/tickets or call 1-800-4SC-FANS.