Softball . October 7, 2020

Gamecock Softball Set For Fall Scrimmages

All scrimmages will be closed to the public with no live stats or streams

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- South Carolina softball will embark on a seven-game intersquad scrimmage series this fall starting Friday at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. All seven scrimmages will be closed to the public, but updates will be provided through gamecocksonline.com throughout the fall schedule.

Carolina will break down the seven scrimmages into two three-game series with the format for the final game to be determined at a later date.

For the two three-game series, the Gamecocks will adopt a scoring format similar to Athletes Unlimited, the ultra-popular professional softball league that started in 2020.

During the intersquads, South Carolina will compete as a team and individuals, earning or losing points for positive or negative outcomes each play, inning and game. After the first series, the two players with the most points will be designated to pick the teams for the second three-game series.

The games will be seven full innings, meaning even if the home team is winning heading into the bottom of the seventh the teams will finish the frame. International tiebreaker will come into effect in the 10^th inning of any game. There will be 90 seconds between innings with the teams in separate dugouts. Masks will be worn at all times while in the dugout.

All NCAA rules will be in effect, with Head Coach Beverly Smith as the deciding factor in any protests.

South Carolina will welcome 10 freshmen to the program this year, Maddie Gallagher, Carlie Henderson, Kylee Gleason, Zoe Laneaux, Aaliyah White, Skylar Trahan, Leah Powell, Carly Robbins, Riley Blampied and Leslie Carroll. In total, the Gamecocks will have a 27-woman roster.

The Gamecocks finished the 2020 shorted season with a 17-6 record on their way to finishing ranked in both polls. Carolina has been ranked in every poll since Feb. 23, 2018.

This past season marked the first time since 2001 Carolina opened and closed back-to-back seasons ranked while the four-straight years having appeared in the final coaches poll of the season is the longest streak in program history dating back to 1995 when the NFCA Coaches Poll started.

South Carolina posted the 16^th-best fielding percentage in the country in 2020 and the second-best in the SEC. Carolina notably had two Academic All-America selections (Kenzi Maguire and Mackenzie Boesel) for just the second time in program history and the first time since 1989.

This marked the fourth-straight year the Gamecocks have had at least one Academic All-American, the longest streak in program history. Victoria Williams (third team) started the streak in 2017. With her selection, Boesel became the first student-athlete in program history to earn multiple first-team Academic All-America honors. She joined Ashley Smith (2003-06) as the only two Gamecocks with three Academic All-America honors.

With one of the best followings in the country, Carolina is of six SEC teams to have finish in the top-12 for national attendance each of the past five years.

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

POINT SYSTEM
Offense

+ 12 points for four RBI at-bat
+10 points for three RBI at-bat
+8 points for two-RBI at-bat
+6 points for RBI at-bat or home run
+5 points for triple
+4 points for squeeze bunt, drag bunt or double
+3 points for single, moving the runner or sacrifice fly
+2 points for hit by pitch, walk or having reached base
+1 pint for eight-pitch at-bat or hard-hit ball
-4 points for failed squeeze bunt
-3 points for strikeout looking
-2 points for swinging strikeout, RBI opportunity missed, fail to advance the runner, infield fly, missed sacrifice bunt, hit into double play or missed sign