Gamecocks Host USC Upstate Wednesday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team wraps up non-conference play when the Gamecocks host USC Upstate Wednesday at 6 p.m.

RV South Carolina Gamecocks 32-18, 8-13 SEC
Coach: Beverly Smith | 14th Season
AVG Leader: .355 | Carlie Henderson
RBI Leader: 32 | Riley Blampied
Home Run Leader: 5 | Three tied
ERA Leader: 0.86 | Reganne Bennett
Strikeout Leader: 100 | Sage Mardjetko
Wins Leader: 14 | Alana Vawter

USC Upstate Spartans 26-17, 12-3 Big South
Coach: Chris Hawkins | 31st Season
AVG Leader: .358 | Denver Lauer
RBI Leader: 28 | Denver Lauer
Home Run Leader: 5 | Carson Shaw
ERA Leader: 2.32 | Sierra Maness
Strikeout Leader: 113 | Sierra Maness
Wins Leader: 13 | Sierra Maness

Series Information
Series History: South Carolina leads 7-3
Last Meeting: South Carolina 10, USC Upstate 2 | April 17, 2019 | Columbia, S.C.
All-Time Series
H: 4-2   A: 3-1  
4/15/2009 – H – W, 3-2
4/6/2010 – H – L, 6-0
4/14/2010 – A – L, 5-0
2/13/2011 – H – L, 3-2
4/13/2011 – A – W, 4-3
4/7/2015 – H – W, 3-0
4/13/2016 – A – W, 7-5
3/15/2017 – H – W, 7-5
4/25/2018 – A – W, 7-1
4/17/2019 – H – W, 10-2 (5)

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 Division I and second among all NCAA players in:
  • Game started: 122
  • Innings pitched: 830 1-3
• Ranks second in DI and fifth overall in complete games (82)
• Ranks third in DI and NCAA in appearances with 161
• Ranks third in DI and sixth overall in wins (91)
• Ranks fourth in DI and 12 overall in shutouts (29)
• Ranks 18th in DI in ERA with a 1.80
• Ranks 20th in DI and 45th overall in strikeouts at 614

OUCH…THAT HURT!

• Jen Cummings ranks 4th in DI with 50 career hit by pitches.
• She also ranks 7th among all divisions.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 261-128 (.671) 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 268-70 (.793) over the past nine years in games outside the SEC. Notable wins include Clemson, Boston U, 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 RUNS THIS STATE

• Under the direction of head coach Beverly Smith, Carolina owns an 89-13 mark against other Palmetto State schools.
• That mark includes a 31-game winning streak that stretched over five seasons before Coastal Carolina 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.