Carolina Set To Host Bryant

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 16 South Carolina softball is set to host Bryant in a doubleheader on Wednesday starting at 12:00 PM ET at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Both games of the doubleheader will air on SEC Network + with the second game scheduled for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. 

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 close out a six-game home stand this Wednesday with a double header against the Bryant Bulldogs. Carolina has faced Winthrop, No. 15 Kentucky and will now take on Bryant (twice) over the course of the last week and six home games. South Carolina faced 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 opened up SEC play this weekend against No. 15 Kentucky Friday-Sunday as the Gamecocks dropped the series to the Wildcats. The Wildcats took two-of-three last season in Lexington, last season, as the Gamecocks were unable to take the season series for the first time since 2015 and the first time in Columbia since 2007 this year. 
• Carolina returns to SEC action this weekend for another tough test, this time against No. 14 Arkansas on the road. The Gamecocks won a hard-fought 2-1 series last season in Columbia over the quickly improving Arkansas program. 
• Last 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.

BETTER LOOK INTO BOESEL

• Currently batting .386 (would be a career best if the season ended today) on 27 hits (12 of which have gone for extra-base hits) as she’s posted a .494 on-base percentage thanks in part to 15 free bases thus far through 23 games. If the season ended today, would have a career best in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. With just five strikeouts through 23 games, she is well under pace for the past two seasons on her way to a career low in that category. 
• 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-base on-base percentage for a career in school history. (3/7) 
• 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 a career best .366 thus far through 23 games with a career best slugging percentage (.563) and on-base percentage (.489). Over the course of her career, Maguire is batting .310 in 146 games with 130 hits (35 of which have gone for extra bases) with a .419 on-base percentage. 
• Just nine doubles away from entering the top 15 for most doubles in a career as of 3/7. Notably became the school record holder for hit by pitches in a career on March 10 against Kentucky with No. 47 of her 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 191 games over her career, by far the most in the outfield right now for South Carolina’s group of overall young outfielders. 
• Was hitting .475 with 19 hits and 16 RBI during the team’s 15-game winning streak. Notably hit .529 with seven RBI in the five wins at the USF Tournament two weekends ago with a 1.000 slugging percentage. Overall on the season she’s hitting .393 with 24 hits and 17 RBI on her way to a career best in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. 
• Shined in the postseason last year 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 STAFF HAS TOP CREDENTIALS 

• South Carolina head coach Beverly Smith has been a part of 14 NCAA Tournament teams as a coach (eight at UNC and six at Carolina). 
• Associate head coach Lisa Navas has been to seven NCAA Tournaments as an assistant coach (five at Carolina, and one each at UNC and Missouri) and eight as a head coach (six Division II at Barry, two at NC State). Navas was selected to be a part of the 2017-19 USA Softball Women’s National Team coaching pool alongside 21 other coaches. 
• Carolina adds hitting coach Kaela Jackson to the staff in 2019. Jackson joins the Gamecocks from Michigan State before her playing days at South Carolina for head coach Beverly Smith. 
• Volunteer assistant Taylor Wike joins the Gamecocks this season from the University of North Carolina. She primarily works with the runners and infield alongside coach Lisa Navas. 

MUST WIN AT HOME! AND THE GAMECOCKS DO

• South Carolina is 156-77 (.665) at home during the Beverly Smith era, which does not include a 4-1 record at home while hosting a regional at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. 
• The Gamecocks have lost more than 10 games at home in a single season just three times in her eight years. 
• Carolina has finished .500 or better at home seven of Beverly Smith’s time. 
• South Carolina has not lost double digit games at home in six years, and has won 20 or more the past five seasons. Carolina was a dominate 25-2 last season at home. 

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 159-43 (.780) over the past six years in games outside the SEC. Notable wins include Texas, Penn State, Houston, Arizona State, North Carolina, Florida State, California, Virginia Tech, USF, Long Beach State, Hofstra and Liberty.  
• The 159 wins in notable because they account for 64 percent of the Carolina wins during that time (yeah, it’s really tough to win SEC games and of course there are more opportunities to win non-conference games. But still). 
• This year Carolina is set for at least 25 more non-conference games.