Softball Set for Game One of SC Education Lottery Palmetto Series

CLEMSON, S.C. – The first softball game of the SC Education Lottery Palmetto Series between South Carolina and Clemson will see the Gamecocks travel to the fifth ranked Tigers on Tuesday (Mar. 28) for a 6 p.m. first pitch. The two-game softball series is the final head-to-head matchup of the Palmetto Series.

Gameday Information – SC Education Lottery Palmetto Series
When: March 28 | 6 p.m.
Where: Clemson, S.C.
Venue: McWhorter Stadium (1,000)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Live Video: ACC Network+
Series History: Clemson leads 3-1
Last Meeting: Clemson 3, South Carolina 1 | April 12, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.

South Carolina Gamecocks 24-7, 1-5 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 13th Season
AVG Leader: .432 | Brooke Blankenship
RBI Leader: 32 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 6 | Jordan Fabian
ERA Leader: 2.22 | Leah Powell
Strikeout Leader: 80 | Donnie Gobourne
Wins Leader: 6 | Jori Heard

#5 Clemson Tigers 32-1, 9-0 ACC
Coach: John Rittman | 4th Season
AVG Leader: .485 | Valerie Cagle
RBI Leader: 32 | Alia Logoleo
Home Run Leader: 11 | Valerie Cagle
ERA Leader: 0.47 | Brooke McCubbin
Strikeout Leader: 113 | Valerie Cagle
Wins Leader: 15 | Valerie Cagle

LEADING OFF

• The 2023 season will be the 50th season of Carolina Softball.
• The Gamecocks are 38th in the most recent RPI.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win against UNC.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• The Gamecock offense ranks 15th in the country in scoring per game (6.68 runs).
• As a team, Carolina leads the SEC in stolen bases per game (2.48), total stolen bases (77), fielding percentage (.981), and fewest hit batters (8).
  • They are sixth in the nation in fielding, 10th in on-base percentage (.422), 11th in total stolen bases, 11th in doubles (51), 14th in stolen bases per game, and 15th in doubles per game (1.65).
  • They are also 24th in slugging (.517), 22nd in winning percentage (.774), 29th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.15), 28th in batting average (.314), and 27th in walks (112),
• Donnie Gobourne leads the nation in strikeouts per 7 innings (13.5). She also ranks 71st in total strikeouts with 80.
  • Her four saves rank sixth in the nation and first in the SEC.
  • She ranks 76th in hits per 7 (4.91) and 105th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.81).
• Jen Cummings leads the nation in total HBP (13) and is fifth in per game (0.42).
  • She ranks among the NCAA leaders in four different categories.
  • She is 15th in the nation in on-base% (.553), ranks 75th in walks per game (0.65) and 149th in slugging % (.652)
• Riley Blampied ranks 47th in the nation in RBIs per game (1.03). She is also 79th in stolen bases (13), 114th in stolen bases per game (0.42), 141st in total bases (56), and 191st in home runs (5).
• Brooke Blankenship ranks 39th in the nation and fifth in the SEC with a .432 batting average. She is 114th in on-base % (.476)
• Jordan Fabian 65th in stolen bases (13), 76th in hit by pitches per game (0.23), 86th in stolen bases per game (0.45), 122nd in home runs (6), and 125th in walk per game (0.58).
• Karsen Ochs ranks 33rd in the nation in K-to-BB ratio (6.60) and 29th in walks per 7 innings (0.91).
• Jori Herd ranks 109th in strikeouts per 7 innings (7.6).
• Against Mercer (Feb. 24), the Gamecocks hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the first time under Bev Smith.
• Against Tennessee Tech (Feb. 25), the Gamecocks hit four home runs, which were the most since 2020.
  • The 21 runs scored against TTU were the most since 2016.
• Haley Simpson hit a home run against WKU (Feb. 19), her first home run in nearly three years (1,086 days) after missing the last two seasons due to injury.
• The Gamecocks played five consecutive days (Feb. 15-19) for only the second time in program history. They played six straight days in 1987 (March 10-15; 14 games).
• 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 entering the week.
• Natalie Morgan ranks 17th in DI and 33rd among all Divisions with 34.
• Jordan Fabian ranks 17th in DI and 33rd overall with 34.
• Jen Cummings ranks 24th in DI with 29.

JUST WALK ON BY…

• Jordan Fabian ranks 38th among active career leaders in Division I for walks with 82.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 239-61 (.797) over the past eight 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, Liberty, and UCF.
• Carolina had won 26-straight non-conference games (regular season) before a loss to Texas Tech in the second weekend of the 2020 season.

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• South Carolina is 151-366-1 (.293) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
• Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 73-126 (.367) at home, 36-167 (.177) on the road and 43-72-1 (.375) in neutral-site outings.
• In 2022, the Gamecocks went 4-22 against ranked opponents. Earning victories over #13 Kentucky, #15 Georgia, #19 Auburn, and #24 UCF.

CAROLINA RUNS THIS STATE

• Under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith, Carolina owns a 82-10 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.