Softball Set for Final Tune-Up Before SEC Play

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball will play a pair of mid-week games as a final tune-up before for kicking off SEC play when the Gamecocks host Winthrop March 7 and travel to the College of Charleston March 8.

South Carolina Gamecocks 19-2, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 13th Season
AVG Leader: .417 | Giulia Desiderio
RBI Leader: 20 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 5 | Jordan Fabian
ERA Leader: 1.09 | Donnie Gobourne
Strikeout Leader: 49 | Donnie Gobourne
Wins Leader: 5 | Bailey Betenbaugh and Karsen Ochs

Winthrop Eagles 12-7, 0-0 Big South
When: March 7 | 6 p.m.
Where: Columbia, S.C.
Venue: Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field (1,480)
Series History: South Carolina leads 56-8-1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 7, Winthrop 1 | April 7, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Windy Thees | 5th Season
AVG Leader: .373 | Paige Rivas
RBI Leader: 11 | Kaitlyn Tucker
ERA Leader: 2.65 | Reese Basinger
Wins Leader: 6 | Reese Basinger

College of Charleston Cougars 5-12, 0-0 CAA
When: March 8 | 6 p.m.
Where: Mt. Pleasant S.C.
Venue: Patriots Point
Series History: South Carolina leads 14-1
Last Meeting:  South Carolina 8, CofC 0 | February 15, 2023 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Tracey Lynch | 2nd Season
AVG Leader: .347 | Aniz Roman
RBI Leader: 5 | Mary-Kathryn Scott and Halle Cannon
ERA Leader: 3.09 | Payton Lemire
Wins Leader: 2 | Drayton Siegling and Caroline Conner

LEADING OFF

• The 2023 season will be the 50th season of Carolina Softball.
• The Gamecocks are 35th in the most recent RPI.
• Carolina at 19-2 is off to its best start since 2018, they it started 20-1.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win Thursday against UNC.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• The Gamecocks have had offensive explosion recently, ranking 8th in the country in scoring per game (7.62 runs).
• Donnie Gobourne leads the nation in strikeouts per 7 innings (13.4).
  • Her four saves rank fourth in the nation.
• Jen Cummings leads the nation in total HBP (10) and is fifth in per game (0.48).
  • She ranks among the NCAA leaders in six different categories.
  • She is sixth in the nation in on-base% (.618) and 113th in average (.409).
  • She ranks 54th in slugging percentage (.795) and 88th in walks per game (0.67)
• Marissa Gonzalez ranks 17th in the nation in total doubles (7).
  • She ranks 86th in the nation in doubles per game (0.35).
• Karsen Ochs ranks 25th in the nation in walks per 7 innings (0.66) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.67)
• As a team, Carolina leads the SEC in doubles (27) and are third in the nation.
  • They also lead the SEC in stolen bases per game (2.57) and fielding% (.981)
  • In the nation, they are seventh in doubles per game (1.90) and walks (83), eighth in on-base% (.442), ninth in winning percentage, 10th in stolen bases per game, 13th in fielding and 15th in slugging (.571).
• The roster features 25 total players, with of seven different states represented.

OUCH…That Hurt!

• The Gamecocks have three players listed among the current active NCAA leaders in hit by pitches.
• Natalie Morgan ranks 13th in DI and 25th overall with 34.
• Jordan Fabian ranks 16th in DI and 31st among all Divisions with 32.
• Jen Cummings ranks 27th in DI I with 26.

CAROLINA RUNS THIS STATE

• Under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith, Carolina owns a 78-10 mark against other Palmetto State schools.
• That mark includes a 31-game winning streak that stretched over five seasons before Coastal snapped the streak in 2017.
• South Carolina went 7-2 last season against in-state foes.

For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.