No. 17 Softball Hosts Gamecock Invitational Starting Friday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 17th ranked South Carolina softball team hosts the Gamecock Invitational beginning Friday (Feb. 23-25). Carolina welcomes Charlotte, James Madison, South Alabama, and UMass to Carolina Softball Stadium.

Tournament Schedule
Friday, February 23
10:00 a.m. – South Alabama vs UMass
12:30 p.m. – JMU vs Charlotte
3:00 p.m. – South Carolina vs UMass
5:30 p.m. – South Carolina vs JMU

Saturday, February 24
10:00 a.m. – Charlotte vs South Alabama
12:30 p.m. – Charlotte vs JMU
3:00 p.m. – South Carolina vs South Alabama
5:30 p.m. – South Carolina vs UMass

Sunday, February 25
10:00 a.m. – South Alabama vs JMU
12:30 p.m. – UMass vs JMU
3:00 p.m. – South Carolina vs Charlotte

#17 South Carolina Gamecocks 9-1, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .500 | Riley Blampied
RBI Leader: 13 | Aniyah Black
Home Run Leader: 3 | Kianna Jones
ERA Leader: 0.78 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 24 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 3 | Sage Mardjetko

UMass Minutemen 3-7, 0-0 A-10
When: February 15 | 7 p.m. ET
Series History: South Carolina leads 10-2-1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 13, UMass 4 (5) | Mar. 8, 2013 | Tampa, Fla.
Coach: Danielle Henderson | 3rd Season

James Madison Dukes 8-1, 0-0 Sun Belt
When: February 15 | 9:30 p.m. ET
Series History: First Meeting
Coach: Loren LaPorte | 7th Season

South Alabama Jaguars 8-2, 0-0 Sun Belt
When: February 16 | 1:30 p.m. ET
Series History: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 1, South Alabama 0 | Feb 24, 2018 | Orlando, Fla.
Coach: Becky Clark | 17th Season

Charlotte 49ers 5-5, 0-0 American
When: February 17 | 1:30 p.m. ET
Series History: South Carolina leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Charlotte 9, South Carolina 1 | Feb. 9, 2023 | Charlotte, N.C.
Coach: Ashley Chastain | 5th Season

LEADING OFF

• The 2024 season will be the 51st season for the Carolina Softball team.
• Carolina received votes in every poll this week. They are ranked No. 17 by NFCA/USA Today, No. 18 by D1softball and ESPN/USA Softball, and #20 by Softball America.
• Carolina faces James Madison for the first time in program history.
• Charlotte is led by former South Carolina pitcher (2009-11) and graduate assistant (2012) Ashley Chastain.
  • Former Gamecock Kassidy Krupit is on Chastain’s staff as a graduate assistant.
• Carolina defeated Furman Wednesday night in an 8-0 run-rule.
  • Starting pitcher Alana Vawter threw a complete game shutout, allowing only one hit and one walk.
• The Gamecocks traveled to Puerto Vallarta for the second time in their history.
  • They opened the tournament defeating then-No 13 Utah 9-1 in a six inning run-rule victory.
  • They also defeated UC Davis 6-4 in extra innings and clobbered UC San Diego 18-1 in five innings.
  • Against the Tritons, Carolina scored 11 runs in the fourth inning, nearly batting around twice.
  • Their only loss came to Wichita State who was receiving votes in the most recent coaches poll.
  • Aniyah Black and Sage Mardjetko were named to the All-Tournament Team.
• Kianna Jones began her South Carolina career 4-for-4.
  • She connected on her first career grand slam in the 3rd inning of a 7-1 win over Virginia.
• Carolina made its 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance last season, advancing to the Tallahassee Regional Finals.
• South Carolina made history during the SEC Tournament, becoming the lowest seed to ever reach the finals and becoming the first double-digit seed to play in the championship game.
• Head coach Bev Smith earned her 400th career win last year against UNC.
  • She became the 29th active head coach in Division I to amass 400 career victories while only coaching at one school.
• The roster features 23 total players, with of 10 different states represented and Canada.
• South Carolina has opened the season at home in 8 of 14 seasons under Smith.

VAWTER ON THE NATIONAL STAGE

• Alana Vawter joined the Gamecocks after an outstanding four-year career at Stanford. Her awards list in long, but she also ranks among the nation’s active career leaders in a myriad of pitching categories:
• She ranks first in not only Division I but among all NCAA players in:
• Game started: 108
• Innings pitched: 701
• Complete games: 73
• Ranks second in DI and third overall in wins (79)
• Ranks second in DI and third overall in shutouts (27)
• Ranks third in DI and NCAA in appearances with 134
• Ranks 11th in DI and 27th overall in ERA with a 1.76
• Ranks 15th in DI and 17th overall in strikeouts at 546
• Ranks 39th in DI in strikeouts per 7 innings at 5.45

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• Jen Cummings ranks 4th in DI with 41 career high by pitches.
• She also ranks 4th among all divisions.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 249-117 (.680) 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 10 of Beverly Smith’s 13 years.
• Prior to 2021, South Carolina had not lost double digit games at home in seven years and has won 20 or more seven of the past eight seasons (2020 included).

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 253-66 (.793) over the past nine years in games outside the SEC. Notable wins include Utah, 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 HOSTS TOURNAMENTS… AND WINS A LOT

• Carolina is an amazing 39-5 over the past seven seasons in the Gamecock Invitational. The 2021 tournament was canceled due to weather.
• The Gamecock pitching staff has shined in the tournaments. In the games during that span, Carolina pitching staffs have allowed three or more runs 12 times. On the flip side, nine games have ended as shutouts.
• Including the Carolina Classic and Black & Garnet Challenge, the Gamecocks are 73-6 in their past 79 home tournament games.

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.