Softball to Face #24 UCF and FGCU in Weekend Tournament

ORLANDO, Fla. – The South Carolina softball team kicks off Spring Break with a tri-tournament March 4-6, where the Gamecocks will face 24th ranked UCF and Florida Gulf Coast. Carolina will play both teams twice. 
 
South Carolina Gamecocks
10-5, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 12th Season
AVG Leader: .395 | Emma Sellers
RBI Leader: 14 | Hannah Kumiyama and Katie Prebble
Home Run Leader: 5 | Katie Prebble
ERA Leader: 0.49 | Bailey Betenbaugh
Strikeout Leader: 20 | Kelsey Oh
Wins Leader: 3 | Leah Powell and Kelsey Oh
 
Gameday Information – UCF
When: March 4 | 4:30 p.m.; March 5 | 2:30 p.m.
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: UCF Softball Complex (600)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast Game 1 | StatBroadcast Game 2
Live Video: ESPN+ Game 1 | ESPN+ Game 2
Series History: UCF leads 6-2
Last Meeting: UCF 10, South Carolina 4 | March 21, 2021 | Columbia, S.C.
 
#24 UCF Knights
11-6, 0-0 American
Coach: Cindy Ball-Malone | 4th Season
AVG Leader: .345 | Allyse Volpe
RBI Leader: 16 | Jada Cody
Home Run Leader: 3 | Shannon Doherty
ERA Leader: 2.37 | Kaitlyn Felton
Strikeout Leader: 40 | Gianna Mancha
Wins Leader: 4 | Gianna Mancha
 
Gameday Information – FGCU
When: March 5 | 12:30 p.m.; March 6 | 9 a.m.
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Venue: UCF Softball Complex (600)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast Game 1 | StatBroadcast Game 2
Series History: South Carolina leads 1-0
Last Meeting: South Carolina 2, FGCU 0 | February 19, 2011 | Fort Myers, Fla.
 
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
7-11, 0-0 ASUN
Coach: David Deiros | 20th Season
AVG Leader: .381 | Cana Davis
RBI Leader: 10 | Cana Davis
Home Run Leader: 1 | Five tied
ERA Leader: 2.04 | Ally Hulme
Strikeout Leader: 43 | Ally Hulme
Wins Leader: 5 | Ally Hulme
 
Leading off

• The Gamecocks trails the all-time series against UCF 6-2.
• The Gamecocks won the series last season 2-1. They earned victories 9-1 and 4-2 on Saturday, before falling in the finale 10-4 on Sunday.
• UCF won the first five meetings, including the first two matchups in the series that were played at UCF.
• Carolina won its only meeting against Florida Gulf Coast, a 2-0 victory back in 2011 during coach Smith’s first season.
• The matchup was part of the Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Tournament, where they went 4-1.
• Freshman Emma Sellers leads the Gamecocks with a .444 batting average. She is the first freshman to lead Carolina in batting through 13 games since Kaylea Snaer in 2014, who was hitting .463.
• The Gamecocks opened the season at home for the third straight year. Last season the team opened the season with Carolina Classic, but was canceled due to weather. 
• South Carolina has opened the season at home in 7 of 12 seasons under Bev Smith.
• 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.