Softball Prepares For Two Midweek Games

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 15 South Carolina softball is set for two midweek contests this week starting Tuesday at Coastal Carolina with a 4:00 PM first pitch from Conway, S.C. Carolina returns home the following day with a 6:00 PM first pitch against Winthrop at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
 
The Tuesday night game will be streamed with a pay-to-view system in place while Wednesday’s game will be on SEC Network+. Live stats for both games will be on gamecocksonline.com. Both live stream links can be found at the top of the story or on the softball schedule page.
 
Tickets for Tuesday’s night’s game against the Chanticleers can be found on GoCCUsports.com or can be purchased 60 minutes prior to first pitch at the ticket booth at St. John Stadium. All seats are general admission. Gates will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch. Parking can be found in any of the campus lots other than designated donor-restricted or student parking lots.
 
Fans are encouraged to park in the Heyward Street Parking Garage for all Carolina home games this season. Gates will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch. 
 
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 21 games, they’re outscoring foes 57-11 in those two frames.
• Calling the home run play has led to Carolina wins, as well. South Carolina is 11-3 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 11-1 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.

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.