Skip to main content
Partner logo
Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link Mobile Icon Link
Gamecocks+
Carolina Set To Host Winthrop In Midweek Action
Softball  . 

Carolina Set To Host Winthrop In Midweek Action

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 11 South Carolina softball is set to face Winthrop on Wednesday afternoon at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. ET after the game was moved up due to expected freezing temperatures later in the night. 

Fans are encouraged to park in the Heyward Street Parking Garage. 
 

THE GAMECOCKS  

  • Carolina comes into the 2019 season looking to build upon a 49-17 season in which the Gamecocks reached the program’s second ever super regional after winning the Columbia Regional. 
  • The Gamecocks welcome five freshmen and transfer Katie Prebble to the program this season to bring the Gamecocks to 19 active members. 
  • Head coach Beverly Smith has been keeping the local talent home recently, as the Gamecocks have five South Carolina natives on roster and two of the last three South Carolina Gator Players of the Year. 
  • Carolina won’t be lacking arms this season with five available coming into the new season, leaving 14 fielders. Freshman Rachel Vaughan comes in as coach Smith’s first left-handed pitcher during her time at South Carolina. 

THE UPCOMING WEEK

  • The Gamecocks return home for seven-straight games starting this Wednesday with a 3:00 PM ET game against Winthrop. Carolina is set to face the Eagles, No. 22 Kentucky, Rhode Island and Bryant (twice) over the course of the next week and seven home games. South Carolina will face Winthrop for the second time this season after posting a 15-1 victory in five innings in Charlotte on Feb. 24 as part of the Charlotte First Pitch Classic. 
  • South Carolina opens up SEC play this weekend against No. 22 Kentucky Friday-Sunday as the Gamecocks will air on SEC Network + for the first time this season. The Wildcats took two-of-three last season in Lexington as the Gamecocks will look to take the season series for the first time since 2015 and the first time in Columbia since 2007. 
  • Carolina comes into the week riding a 14 -game winning streak. The streak dates back to a win over UNCG to open the Gamecock Invitational on Feb. 15 in an 11-3 victory in five innings. 
  • This week marked the first time in three weeks South Carolina hadn’t had a player win an SEC Player of the Week honor. South Jana Johns and Cayla Drotar won back-to-back player of the year nominations as both received their first POTW recognitions.

THE WINNING STREAK 

  • The Gamecocks come into the week riding a 14-game winning streak, looking to win 15-straight games for the second-straight year. This marks the first time since the 1996 and 1997 seasons the Gamecocks have won 10-straight games (or more) in back-to-back seasons. Carolina has outscored opponents 136-31 (+105) during the streak while batting .399. 
  • A better look into the numbers, Carolina has hit 26 home runs with 130 RBI and a .501 on-base percentage thanks to 80 free bases. The pitching hasn’t been bad either, as Dixie Raley has posted a 1.68 ERA with a 4-0 record (and a save) in 25 innings of work with 29 strikeouts while holding teams to a low .178 batting average. 
  • At the plate, Carolina has six hitters batting .400 or better (Jana Johns, Mackenzie Boesel, Kennedy Clark, Cayla Drotar, Kenzi Maguire and Lauren Stewart). Jana Johns has led the way batting .526 with 22 RBI and a 1.211 slugging percentage. Cayla Drotar has produced a team-best 25 RBI while Johns has posted the most home runs (six). 
  • Some notable game highs during the streak include 33 at bats at South Florida, 16 runs scored against Campbell, 16 hits against Campbell, five doubles three different times, six walks twice, four hit by pitches three times 11 strikeouts of opposing hitters against Coastal Carolina.

HOW TO WATCH THE GAMECOCKS IN 2019

  • ESPN has shown some respect for the Gamecocks in the preseason, giving the program at least 30 games on the Family of Networks. 
  • Carolina will have 21 home games broadcast as well nine road contests. 
  • The Gamecocks first nationally televised game comes on March 24 against Ole Miss with a game on SEC Network. 
  • South Carolina will have five games on SEC Network, two on ESPNU, two on ESPN2 and one on ESPN. 

BETTER LOOK INTO BOESEL 

  • Currently batting .525 with 21 hits, 22 runs and 15 RBI during the team’s 14-game winning streak. On the year, she’s hitting .407 with a .514 on-base percentage and 17 RBI. 
  • In Charlotte on Feb. 24, became the 17th Gamecock in program history to bring home 100 or more RBI in a career in the 15-1 victory in five innings over Winthrop. Currently in her career she is tied for 12th in runs scored, tied for sixth in home runs, 14th in RBI, and 13th in hit by pitches. Is also standing strong with the second best on-base percentage for a career in school history. (3/5) 
  • Received plenty of attention at the start of the 2019 season, as she was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team and selected to the USA Softball Top-50 Watch List for Player of the Year. 
  • Mackenzie Boesel couldn’t have asked for a much better sophomore year, as she became just the 10th Gamecock in program history to be named an Academic All-American as well as her selection to the All-SEC Second Team (her second All-SEC honor of her career).

BETTER LOOK INTO MAGUIRE

  • Kenzi Maguire is batting .429 with a .554 on-base percentage during the team’s current winning streak. As of 3/5, has 46 hit by pitches in her career, which is just one way from breaking the school record for hit by pitch in a career previously set by Dana Hathorn in 2014. 
  • Just nine doubles away from entering the top 15 for most doubles in a career. 
  • In 2018, notably had an 11-game hitting streak and 23-game reached base streak, both of which were Carolina bests for the year. 
  • Was named to the All-SEC Second Team, All-Region Second Team, SEC Player of the Week for the first time in her career (4/10) and had the SEC Defensive Play of the Year in the win over Mississippi State (4/28). 

BETTER LOOK INTO CLARK

  • Senior Kennedy Clark brings plenty of experience to the outfield and plate for the Gamecocks after having started 100 games over last  two seasons in left coming into 2019. 
  • Is hitting .474 with 18 hits and 16 RBI during the team’s 14-game winning streak. Notably hit .529 with seven RBI in the five wins at the USF Tournament this past weekend with a 1.000 slugging percentage. 
  • Shined in the postseason with four hits in the Columbia Regional and a two-run home run to help the Gamecocks avoid a no-hitter in the first game of the ASU Super Regional. 
  • Just 1 RBI from becoming the 18th Gamecock in program history to have 100 or more.

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD 

  • South Carolina has played 2,329 games in its softball history, going 1516-806-7 (.647) in its 44 years of history. 
  • The Gamecocks have posted 30 or more wins each of the past six season under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith. 
  • Carolina has protected home well, also, with 20 or more coming in friendly confines each of the past five years. 
  • The Gamecocks have posted a combined 59 conference wins over the last five years.

Related stories