No. 22 Gamecocks Travel to Ole Miss for Weekend Series
Weekend Schedule
OXFORD, Miss. – The 22nd ranked South Carolina softball team hits the road for an SEC series at Ole Miss March 29-31. It will be the first trip to Oxford for the Gamecocks since the 2021 season.
Gameday Information
When: March 29 | 6 p.m. CT; March 30 | 3 p.m. CT; March 31 | 11 a.m. CT
Where: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: Ole Miss Softball Complex (1,000)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast GAME 1 | GAME 2 | GAME 3
Live Video: SECN+ (FRI & Sat); SECN (Sun)
Series History: South Carolina leads 34-26
Last Meeting: Ole Miss 3, South Carolina 0 | April 24, 2022 | Columbia, S.C.
#22 South Carolina Gamecocks 23-10, 0-6 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .345 | Carlie Henderson
RBI Leader: 23 | Aniyah Black
Home Run Leader: 4 | Reganne Bennett
ERA Leader: 0.68 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 68 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 8 | Alana Vawter
Ole Miss Rebels 20-11, 3-6 SEC
Coach: Jamie Trachsel | 4th Season
AVG Leader: .385 | Jalia Lassiter
RBI Leader: 29 | Lexie Brady
Home Run Leader: 10 | Lexie Brady
ERA Leader: 2.20 | Grace Sparks
Strikeout Leader: 77 | Makenna Kliethermes
Wins Leader: 10 | Makenna Kliethermes
LEADING OFF
- The 2024 season will be the 51st season for the Carolina Softball team.
- Carolina received votes in one poll this week. They moved up in the NFCA/USA Today poll and are now ranked No. 22.
- Aniyah Black hit a pair of home runs in the win over Charleston Southern Wednesday. It’s the second multi-home run game of her career (Texas A&M, 4/16/23).
- Carolina turned a triple play in the third inning against Charleston Southern, the first in the recorded history of Carolina softball (since at least 2000).
- It’s the fourth triple play recorded this season in Division I.
- Carolina’s last series win against the Rebels came on the road in 2018 (2-1).
- The Gamecocks are coming off a win over in-state rival Clemson 6-4 in 12 innings.
- It was the longest game for Carolina since a 4-3 loss to Arkansas on April 15, 2000.
- It was Carolina’s first win in the series since 1979.
- Carolina combined to shutout then-No. 24 Boston U, earning a 3-0 victory in eight innings.
- It was the first time the Terriers had been shut out this season.
- Carolina recorded three straight shutouts during the Garnet & Black Invitational.
- 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: 115
- Innings pitched: 762 2-3
- Ranks third in DI and fourth overall in wins (86)
- Ranks third in DI and fifth overall in complete games (77)
- Ranks third in DI and sixth overall in shutouts (28)
- Ranks fourth in DI and NCAA in appearances with 147
- Ranks 17th in DI in ERA with a 1.80
- Ranks 16th in DI and 34th overall in strikeouts at 582
OUCH…THAT HURT!
- Jen Cummings ranks 3rd in DI with 48 career high by pitches.
- She also ranks 5th among all divisions.
SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD
- South Carolina has played 2,609 games in its softball history, going 1,680-922-7 (.645) in its 51 years of history.
- The Gamecocks have posted 30 or more wins in eight of the past 10 full seasons under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith.
- Carolina has protected home well, also, with 17 or more victories coming in friendly confines each of the past eight full years.
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.