Softball Hosts Charleston Southern to Wrap Up Non-Conference Play

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball wraps up non-conference play when the Gamecocks host in-state foe Charleston Southern Wednesday afternoon for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
When: April 19 | 3 p.m. (DH)
Where: Columbia, S.C.
Venue: Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field (1,480)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast Game 1 | Game 2
Live Video: SEC Network+ Game 1 | Game 2
Series History: Texas A&M leads 27-15
Last Meeting: South Carolina 5, Charleston Southern 2 | March 2, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.

South Carolina Gamecocks 30-12, 7-8 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 13th Season
AVG Leader: .337 | Brooke Blankenship
RBI Leader: 35 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 8 | Jordan Fabian
ERA Leader: 2.48 | Donnie Gobourne
Strikeout Leader: 128 | Donnie Gobourne
Wins Leader: 8 | Donnie Gobourne

Charleston Southern Buccaneers 17-22, 6-8 Big South
Coach: Christi Musser | 3rd Season
AVG Leader: .327 | Charlee Yourman
RBI Leader: 16 | Harper Schoeneweis
Home Run Leader: 2 | Three tied
ERA Leader: 3.02 | Annah Junge
Strikeout Leader: 125 | Annah Junge
Wins Leader: 15 | Annah Junge

LEADING OFF

• The 2023 season will be the 50th season of Carolina Softball.
• The Gamecocks remained 28th in the most recent RPI.
• Carolina was ranked in two polls this week, #24 by Softball America and #25 by D1 Softball. It also received votes in both the ESPN/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA polls.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win against UNC on March 1.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• Against #23 Texas A&M, the Gamecocks shut out the Aggies in back-to-back games for only the second time this season, the other came against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 UCLA, which they combined for 10 hits in those two games. The Gamecocks allowed only 10 hits in the three-game series.
  • It was the first time in program history the Gamecocks swept a ranked SEC opponent while being unranked.
  • It was the first SEC series win for Carolina while being unranked since sweeping Ole Miss April 29-30, 2014.
• South Carolina batters were hit five times against Florida (3/31), the sixth most in a game this season in Division I.
• Donnie Gobourne carried a no-hit bid down to the last strike in the top of the seventh in against #11 Florida (4/2) before surrendering a hit.
  • She became the first Gamecock to throw a one-hitter since Kelsey Oh against Charleston Southern on April 7, 2021.
  • She finished with 15 strikeouts to become the first Carolina pitcher to record 15 in a game since Melissa Hendon against the College of Charleston (2/22/07).
  • Her 15 strikeouts in a game rank 25th among DI pitchers this season.
• The series win over the Gators is the first for the Gamecocks since sweeping them during the 2003 season.
• It’s the first SEC series win, and first SEC series win over a ranked opponent, since defeating Auburn in 2019.
• Carolina leads the SEC in: stolen bases per game (2.14), total stolen bases (90), doubles (64) and doubles per game (1.52).
• The Gamecocks rank 9th in the country in fielding (.980), 16th in stolen bases, 17th in doubles, and 20th in stolen bases per game.
  • They are also rank 23rd in on-base % (.399), 29th in scoring per game (5.86), and 25th in doubles per game.

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• The Gamecocks have three players listed among the current active NCAA leaders in hit by pitches entering the week.
• Jordan Fabian ranks 17th in DI and 34th among all Divisions with 36.
• Natalie Morgan ranks 20th in DI and 39th overall with 34.
• Jen Cummings ranks 22nd in DI and 43rd overall with 33.

JUST WALK ON BY…

• Jordan Fabian ranks 33rd among active career leaders in Division I for walks with 90.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 240-115 (.676) at home during the Beverly Smith era, which includes a 4-1 record at home while hosting a regional at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
• Carolina has finished .500 or better at home eight of Beverly Smith’s 12 years.
• Prior to 2021, South Carolina had not lost double digit games at home in seven years and has won 20 or more six of the past seven seasons (2020 included).

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 239-63 (.791) 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.

CAROLINA RUNS THIS STATE

• Under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith, Carolina owns a 82-12 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.