Carolina Closes Home Stand Wednesday Against Cougars

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 15 South Carolina softball is set to close its 11-game home stand on Wednesday when it plays host to College of Charleston with a 6:00 PM first pitch on SEC Network+. An audio-only broadcast and live stats will also be available on gamecocksonline.com.
 
Fans are encouraged to park in the Heyward Street Parking Garage for all Carolina home games this season.
 
The midweek action against the Cougars will serve as Carolina’s last non-conference game before SEC play starts this weekend with a three-game series at No. 13 Georgia.
 
THIS IS CAROLINA – TRADITION LIVES HERE 

• South Carolina softball has made 22 trips to the postseason, a number that started in 1982. The Gamecocks have reached two super regionals and three WCWS. In conference play, Carolina owns two SEC Championships.
• Carolina rolls into the 2020 season with a 45-48 record all-time in those crucial postseason games and a 14-15 mark under Beverly Smith.
• Fans and opponents have become accustomed to seeing the Gamecocks play on Sundays in the postseason. Carolina has reached the regional final four-straight years. The Gamecocks are 2-3 in those past five Sunday games.
• A historic trend Carolina will look to change is its record against host schools in regionals. Since 1982, the Gamecocks are just 2-11 against host schools and 0-7 under Smith. On the flip side, South Carolina is 4-2 at home in the postseason under Smith having advanced to just the program’s second super regional in 2018 with two win-or-go-home games against Liberty.

 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.

 SUPER QUICK HITTERS

• The first two innings have been ultra-important to the Gamecocks this season. Through 18 games, they’re outscoring foes 56-3 in those two frames with just three runs allowed in the first.
• Calling the home run play has led to Carolina wins, as well. South Carolina is 11-1 this season when hitting at least one home run.
• Good defense wins games and the Garnet and Black are proving it this year. Carolina is 10-1 when zero errors are committed.
• Looking at just home games, South Carolina is scoring quickly and often. As a team the Gamecocks have outscored opponents 86-27, including a 54-1 advantage in the first two innings.

 MUST WIN AT HOME! AND THE GAMECOCKS DO

• South Carolina is 180-81 (.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 Beverly 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 179-47 (.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 179 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 11 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.

 
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check back with gamecocksonline.com.