Battle of Undefeated Teams Kicks off SEC Softball Season

NORMAN, Okla. – A battle between the only remaining undefeated teams in Division I is on deck as the No. 11 South Carolina softball team opens SEC play at No. 2 Oklahoma March 7-9. Sunday’s game will be the first softball game of the season broadcast on the SEC Network.

Gameday Information – SEC OPENING WEEKEND
Series History: South Carolina leads 5-4
Last Meeting: Oklahoma 5, South Carolina 1 | March 11, 2018 | Norman, Okla.

#11 South Carolina Gamecocks 20-0, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Ashley Chastain Woodard | 1st Season
AVG Leader: .583 | Quincee Lilio
RBI Leader: 29 | Arianna Rodi
Home Run Leader: 9 | Arianna Rodi
ERA Leader: 0.97 | Jori Heard
Strikeout Leader: 49 | Jori Heard
Wins Leader: 10 | Jori Heard

#2 Oklahoma Sooners 19-0, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Patty Gasso | 31st Season
AVG Leader: .574 | Ella Parker
RBI Leader: 27 | Kasidi Pickering
Home Run Leader: 7 | Kasidi Pickering
ERA Leader: 0.27 | Isabella Smith
Strikeout Leader: 5 | Sam Landry and Isabella Smith
Wins Leader: 54 | Sam Landry

LEADING OFF

• The 2025 season is the 52nd season for the Carolina Softball team.
• South Carolina made the biggest jump of any program this season in the polls this week.
  • The Gamecocks jumped 8 spots to No. 11 in the NFCA/USA Today poll. They jumped 11 spots to No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Softball, 12 spots to No. 9 by D1Softball and 8 spots to No. 9 in the Softball America poll.
• They were also No. 3 in the first RPI ranking released by the NCAA on Monday.
• For the first time in program history every game will be televised on the ESPN family of networks and digital platforms.
  • South Carolina and Georgia are the only two Division I programs to have every game broadcast this season.
• With the win over Youngstown State, the Gamecocks tied the program record from 1976 for most consecutive wins to start a season.
• Arianna Rodi was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week (Mar. 3). Rodi was also named a Star of the Week by Softball America.
  • In four games, Rodi batted .615 with 12 RBIs. She had eight hits, six runs, four home runs and two doubles.
  • In all three games against No. 8 Duke, Rodi hit a go-ahead home run.
  • She had a home run and three RBIs in all four games on the week.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Quincee Lilio has reached based in all 20 games this season and has a 19-game hitting streak.
  • She also has 12 multi-hit games on the season.
  • Lilio is leads the nation in batting average and on-base percentage.
  • She is also 6th in walks per game, 7th in hits, 17th in doubles, 20th in runs per game, and 24th in runs.
• Ella Chancey has also reached base in all 20 games this season.
  • She ranks 4th in the nation in doubles and 6th in doubles per game.
• Karley Shelton has reached base in 18 straight games and Arianna Rodi in 15.
  • Shelton ranks 3rd in runs per game, 4th in doubles and runs, and 6th in doubles per game.
  • Rodi ranks 2nd nationally in walks per game, 8th in home runs, 10th in home runs per game, 13th in slugging % and RBIs per game , 14th in on-base %, and 20th in RBIs.
• Jori Heard ranks 3rd nationally in wins, 8th in shutouts, and 25th in ERA, 26th in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 29th in WHIP and walks allowed per game.
• Nealy Lamb ranks 12th in the nation in strikeout to walk ratio and 17th in strikeouts per game.
• In Carolina’s win at Charlotte, they hit seven doubles in the game. That’s tied for the fourth most in a game this season in Division I.
• The three doubles in the game by Shelton were the most since Evan Childs against Longwood on Feb. 16, 2010.
• The Gamecocks tied a program record with 12 walks against North Carolina.
• It was the second time this season with double-digit walks.
• South Carolina has outscored their opponents 167-40 on the season, including 37-5 in the fourth inning and 37-4 in the sixth inning.
• Carolina had the nation’s longest run-rule streak of nine games end against UNLV.
• The 11 run-rule victories are tied for the most in Division I this season.
• As a team the Gamecocks lead the nation in doubles and doubles per game.
• They also rank 2nd in walks and on-base percentage, 4th in RBIs per game, 6th in scoring and sacrifice flies, 7th in fielding percentage, 9th in RBIs and batting average, and 10th in total runs.
• They also rank in the top-20 in six other categories: double plays per game, slugging percentage, shutouts, ERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio, and double plays.

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• South Carolina is 174-397-1 (.305) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
• Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 82-138 (.373) at home, 46-184 (.200) on the road and 47-74-1 (.389) in neutral-site outings.
• In 2024, the Gamecocks went 9-20 against ranked opponents. They earned victories over #21 Kentucky (twice), #10 Florida, #17 Arkansas, #16 Mississippi State (twice), #11 Clemson, #24 Boston U and #13 Utah.
• In 2023, the Gamecocks went 12-16 against ranked opponents.

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD

• South Carolina has played 2,656 games in its softball history, going 1,713-936-7 (.646) in its 52 years of history.
• Carolina has posted 30 or more wins in nine of the past 11 full seasons.
• Carolina has protected home well, also, with 17 or more victories coming in friendly confines each of the past 10 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.