No. 23 Gamecocks Host Garnet & Black Invitational Starting Thursday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 23 South Carolina softball team is set for a busy weekend, as the Gamecocks host the Garnet & Black Invitational March 14-17. The Gamecocks welcome #24 Boston University, Michigan State, Minnesota, NC State, and Northwestern to the Carolina Softball Stadium.

#23 South Carolina Gamecocks 18-5, 0-3 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .377 | Riley Blampied
RBI Leader: 19 | Aniyah Black
Home Run Leader: 4 | Reganne Bennett
ERA Leader: 0.75 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 55 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 5 | Alana Vawter and Sage Mardjetko

#24 Boston U Terriers 18-1, 0-0 Patriot
When: March 14 | 5 p.m.
Series History: South Carolina leads 2-0
Last Meeting: South Carolina 2, Boston U 0 | Feb. 21, 2014 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Ashley Waters | 9th Season

Michigan State Spartans 11-10, 0-0 Big 10
When: March 15 | 5:30 p.m.
Series History: South Carolina leads 8-2
Last Meeting: South Carolina 4, Michigan State 1 | Mar. 8, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Sharonda McDonald-Kelley | 2nd Season

Minnesota Golden Gophers 13-9, 0-0 Big 10
When: March 16 | 5:30 p.m.
Series History: Tied 2-2
Last Meeting: Minnesota 1, South Carolina 0 | Mar 19, 2014 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Piper Ritter | 4th Season

NC State WolfPack 15-8, 1-5 ACC
When: March 17 | 3 p.m.
Series History: South Carolina leads 5-1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 3, NC State 1 | Apr. 9, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.
Coach: Lindsay Leftwich | 1st Season

Northwestern Wildcats 8-6, 0-0 Big 10
When: March 17 | 5:30 p.m.
Series History: Northwestern leads 7-5
Last Meeting: Northwestern 6, South Carolina 4 | Mar. 3, 2017 | Fullerton, Calif.
Coach: Kate Drohan | 23rd Season

Tournament Schedule

LEADING OFF

• The 2024 season will be the 51st season for the Carolina Softball team.
• Carolina received votes in every poll yet again this week. They are ranked No. 22 by ESPN/USA Softball and Softball America, and No. 23 by NFCA/USA Today and D1softball.com.
• The Gamecocks are a combined 22-12 against the five opponents they will face this weekend.
• Head coach Bev Smith is 10-7 all-time against the five programs.
• Northwestern visits the Soda City for the first time since 1991, which is also the last time Carolina won a game in the series.
• Jori Heard threw a perfect game in the 4-0 win over Bethune-Cookman on March 2. It was the first 7-inning perfect game in Division I this season.
  • Heard’s perfect game is the 11th in program history, as she becomes the seventh Gamecock pitcher to earn perfection.
  • It was the first perfect game for South Carolina since Melissa Hendon against Pittsburgh on March 4, 2007.
  • Six of Carolina’s 10 previous perfect games came between 1995 and 1997 and were thrown by either Trinity Johnson (5) or Darlene Gareis (2).

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: 111
  • Innings pitched: 732
• Ranks third in DI and seventh overall in wins (82)
• Ranks fourth in DI and seventh overall in shutouts (27)
• Ranks third in DI and fifth overall in complete games (75)
• Ranks fifth in DI and NCAA in appearances with 140
• Ranks 13th in DI and 47th overall in ERA with a 1.75
• Ranks 15th in DI and 31st overall in strikeouts at 565

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• Jen Cummings ranks 3rd in DI with 44 career high by pitches.
• She also ranks 7th among all divisions.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 254-118 (.683) 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 262-67 (.796) 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 43-6 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 77-7 in their past 84 home tournament games.

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• South Carolina is 163-383-1 (.299) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
• Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 79-130 (.378) at home, 39-179 (.179) on the road and 46-73-1 (.388) in neutral-site outings.
• In 2023, the Gamecocks went 12-16 against ranked opponents. Earning victories over #3 Florida State, #4 Tennessee, #13 Georgia, #11 Florida (twice), #14 LSU, #16 Alabama, #16 Auburn (twice), and #23 Texas A&M (three).

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.