Gamecocks To Play Host To Georgia Southern

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 16 South Carolina softball returns to action when it plays host to Georgia Southern on Wednesday with a 5:00 PM first pitch on SEC Network+ from Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. The Gamecocks will look to improve upon their 9-0 record at home and five-game winning streak.
 
Fans are encouraged to park in the Heyward Street Parking Garage for all South Carolina softball games this season.
 
The mid-week game is in the middle of an 11-game home stand that opened last Wednesday night for the Gamecocks against North Carolina Central with a 19-1 victory.
 
THE GAMECOCKS

• South Carolina comes into the 2020 season looking to build off a 38-19 season in which it reached the regional championship for the fourth-straight season.
• Carolina welcomes four newcomers (Ellie Bailey, Bailey Betenbaugh, Hannah Kumiyama, Karsen Ochs) as well as Baylor transfer Kassidy Krupit to a roster that will be looking to replace two starters (Kennedy Clark in the outfield and Dixie Raley in the circle).
• The Gamecocks return one of the most experienced middle infields in the country with Kenzi Maguire and Mackenzie Boesel. The two have combined for 352 games played and 348 starts heading into their senior campaign. Broken down, that means the pair has combined to play in 72 percent of all South Carolina games the past four years.
• Head coach Beverly Smith returns for her 10th season leading the Gamecocks. She’s guided the Gamecocks to seven-straight NCAA trips and four-consecutive regional championships, both of which are school records.

 THE GAMECOCK INVITATIONAL 

• South Carolina posted a perfect 5-0 record last week, including wins over NC Central, Boston College, No. 8 Michigan, Iowa State and Elon. Freshman Karsen Ochs was the standout of the week, going 3-0 in the circle with a complete-game shutout of the Wolverines. For her efforts, she was named SEC Freshman of the Week.
• As a team, Carolina outscored teams 34-6 over the week with a .341 batting average with a .430 on-base percentage. The staff of Bailey Betenbaugh, Kelsey Oh, Karsen Ochs and Karly Heath posted a 1.24 ERA in 34 innings of action while holding teams to a .114 batting average. Betenbaugh held batters to a 0.45 batting average while righties were held to a 1-for-24 performance against Ochs.
• Haley Simpson led the way at the plate with a .667 batting average on six hits with two doubles. Lauren Stewart hit .438 on seven hits with six runs and four RBI. Kassidy Krupit had a team-best seven RBI while Katie Prebble had six.
• The Gamecocks were feeling pretty extra at the plate. As a team they finished with 19 extra-base hits while holding opponents to just six. Ochs held opposing batters to just one (a double) in her 11 innings of work.

 MUST WIN AT HOME! AND THE GAMECOCKS DO

• South Carolina is 176-80 (.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 ten years.
• Carolina has finished .500 or better at home seven of Smith’s ten years.
• South Carolina has not lost double digit games at home in six years and has won 20 or more the past six seasons.

 NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 175-46 (.780) over the past seven 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 175 wins are 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 16 more non-conference games.
• Carolina had won 26-straight non-conference games (regular season) before the loss to Texas Tech in the second weekend of the year.

 BETTER LOOK INTO BOESEL 

• Hit .356 in 57 games during the 2019 season. In her 57 starts at second base, she had 64 hits in 180 at-bats with 52 runs and 37 RBI. Notably hit .402 in 82 at-bats in 28 home games with 19 RBI and three home runs. Also hit a Carolina best .333 in 23 games against ranked foes with three home runs.
• Showing success off the field, as well, was named a 2019 CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American, her first first-team honor and second-straight Academic All-America selection.
• Produced a career-best in doubles, slugging percentage, walks, strikeouts and on-base percentage.
• Career record watches include: Runs, doubles, home runs, total bases, slugging percentage, RBI, walks.

 BETTER LOOK INTO JOHNS

• Hit .348 in 57 games played in 2019 with 161 at-bats, 50 runs, 56 hits and 44 RBI on her way to tying the school record for home runs in a season with 15. Had 26 extra-base hits and slugged .708 with a .500 on-base percentage thanks in part to 51 free bases. Was notably named SEC Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Feb. 25 and was named to the All-SEC Second Team and All-Region squad for her efforts.
• Became the first player in the Beverly Smith era to lead the program in free bases in back-to-back seasons in 2019.
• Led the Gamecocks with 28 hit by pitches (program record) which paced the SEC on the year in 2018. Tied for first for HBP in a Carolina career now at 49.
• Was named the SEC Freshman of the Week twice and to the All-SEC Freshmen and Defensive Teams in 2018.

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