Softball Recaps Early Fall Softball Practice

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- South Carolina softball opened up its 2019 fall campaign with team practices this week. South Carolina enters the fall coming off a 38-19 season in which it advanced to its fourth-straight regional final under Smith and the program’s seventh-consecutive postseason berth to set a new record for consecutive years in regional action. 
 
The Gamecocks return plenty of talent while welcoming newcomers Ellie Bailey, Bailey Betenbaugh, Hannah Kumiyama, Karsen Ochs and Kassidy Krupit. 
 
Following the third team practice of the year Mackenzie Boesel, Haley Simpson and Ochs spoke on the week of practice up to this point and what the team hopes to gain out of the upcoming fall semester. 
 
MACKENZIE BOESEL QUOTABLE 
“Yeah, it is crazy but it’s also exciting” she said on seeing the word senior in front of her name. “Everything’s gone by so fast and I’m just excited to make this last year my best year.” 
 
HALEY SIMPSON QUOTABLE 
“There’s absolutely a new hunger on the team, you can just sense it being out here,” she said on the team’s mentality for the fall. “I think we’re all still upset about last year and we are coming for it this year. We want Super Regionals, we want Oklahoma City, we’re coming.
 
KARSEN OCHS QUOTABLE
Yeah, it was surreal,” she said on her first practice here. “Being here, or being committed here since my freshman year, it kinda felt like a long time away, just always saying, ‘Oh, I’ll be here soon. I’ll be here soon.’ But just finally coming out here, and being able to practice in this stadium, and be a teammate to the rest of the team that’s been here for so long already, it’s just an awesome experience.” 

The fall schedule opens Oct. 4 at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field vs. Anderson University at 7:00 p.m. In total, the Gamecocks have six games on the docket against outside competition before the semester concludes with the annual Garnet and Black Scrimmage. 
 
The fall campaign his highlighted with a trip to Hartsville, lined up for Oct. 6 against Coker College. The trip to Cayla Drotar’s hometown continues head coach Beverly Smith’s longstanding tradition of providing student-athletes the opportunity to compete in their hometown during their Carolina careers. 
 
“The fall schedule is always seeing what your freshmen can do and mixing in some game time amongst a tough practice schedule,” Smith said earlier this fall. “We’ve got a home weekend we’re looking forward to and I’m really excited to take (Cayla) to Hartsville. 
 
“We’re going to play Coker College at their place in Hartsville. I really enjoy taking our players home when possible. I have found with these homecomings that people from around the state have a better chance to see Gamecock softball.” 
 
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check back with gamecocksonline.com and gamecocksoftball.com. Subscribe to South Carolina on Stanza to get schedule updates directly in your calendars.