Softball Opens 2022 Season Hosting Gamecock Invitational
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team opens the 2022 regular season when it hosts the Gamecock Invitational February 11-13. The Gamecocks will welcome in Virginia, Lipscomb, George Washington, and North Carolina to the Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Carolina head coach Beverly Smith will see several familiar faces in the opposing dugouts, as for Gamecock player and coach Chrissy Schoonmaker is in her first season as the head coach of George Washington, and Smith spent six seasons at UNC under their head coach Donna Papa.
Gameday Information – Gamecock Invitational
| Date | Game (home team listed first) | Time | TV | Live Stats |
| Friday, February 11 | UNC vs George Washington | 1 p.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Friday, February 11 | Virginia vs Lipscomb | 3:30 p.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Friday, February 11 | South Carolina vs Virginia | 6 p.m. | SEC Network+ | StatBroadcast |
| Saturday, February 12 | Lipscomb vs UNC | 10:30 a.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Saturday, February 12 | South Carolina vs Lipscomb | 1 p.m. | SEC Network+ | StatBroadcast |
| Saturday, February 12 | South Carolina vs George Washington | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network+ | StatBroadcast |
| Saturday, February 12 | George Washington vs Virginia | 6 p.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Sunday, February 13 | George Washington vs Lipscomb | 10:30 a.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Sunday, February 13 | UNC vs Virginia | 1 p.m. | StatBroadcast | |
| Sunday, February 13 | South Carolina vs UNC | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network+ | StatBroadcast |
South Carolina Gamecocks
26-26, 4-20 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 12th Season
Returning AVG Leader: .304 | Aaliyah White
Returning RBI Leader: 45 | Kassidy Krupit
Returning Home Run Leader: 6 | Jordan Fabian and Kassidy Krupit
Returning ERA Leader: 2.18 | Bailey Betenbaugh
Returning Strikeout Leader: 53 | Leah Powell
Returning Wins Leader: 10 | Leah Powell
George Washington Colonials
37-11, 23-1 Atlantic 10
Coach: Chrissy Schoonmaker | 1st Season
Returning AVG Leader: .392 | Sierra Lange
Returning RBI Leader: 58 | Alessandra Ponce
Returning Home Run Leader: 12 | Alessandra Ponce
Returning ERA Leader: 1.78 | Sierra Lange
Returning Strikeout Leader: 201 | Sierra Lange
Returning Wins Leader: 21 | Sierra Lange
Lipscomb Bisons
18-18, 5-7 ASUN
Coach: Kristin Ryman | 17th Season
Returning AVG Leader: .333 | Amy Vetula
Returning RBI Leader: 16 | Kamrie Rich
Returning Home Run Leader: 2 | Presley Leebrick and Amy Vetula
Returning ERA Leader: 2.10 | Laine Barefoot
Returning Strikeout Leader: 11 | Katie Turner
Returning Wins Leader: 1 | Laine Barefoot and Katie Turner
North Carolina Tar Heels
14-26, 10-19 ACC
Coach: Donna Papa | 37th Season
Returning AVG Leader: .328 | Pierce, Kiannah
Returning RBI Leader: 24 | Licea, Kiersten
Returning Home Run Leader: 5 | Licea, Kiersten
Returning ERA Leader: 5.28 | George, Hannah
Returning Strikeout Leader: 17 | George, Hannah
Returning Wins Leader: 2 | George, Hannah
Virginia Cavaliers
15-33, 10-27 ACC
Coach: Joanna Hardin | 6th Season
Returning AVG Leader: .328 | Abby Weaver
Returning RBI Leader: 27 | Katie Goldberg
Returning Home Run Leader: 6 | Katie Goldberg
Returning ERA Leader: 3.95 | Molly Grube
Returning Strikeout Leader: 56 | Mikayla Houge
Returning Wins Leader: 5 | Mikayla Houge
Leading off
• The Gamecocks will open the season at home for the third straight year. Last season the team opened the season with Carolina Classic, but was cancelled due to weather.
• South Carolina has opened the season at home in 7 of 12 seasons under Bev Smith.
• Under coach Smith, the Gamecocks are 5-4 against her alma mater UNC. They split their series in Chapel Hill last season March 6-7.
• South Carolina and Virginia have not met since 2003, with the Garnet and Black winning both games on March 5.
• The Gamecocks are 2-0 against George Washington under Bev Smith, with both games being playing in Columbia on 3/3/2018 and 2/26/2012.
• Smith has never face the Bisons.
• The 2022 roster features 21 total players. A total of seven different states are represented.
For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecockSoftball.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.
