No. 19 Gamecocks Set to Host Garnet & Black Invitational

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 19th ranked South Carolina softball team hosts its third and final tournament, when the Gamecocks welcome Marist, Queens University Charlotte, and UAB for the Garnet & Black Invitational February 27-March 1.

UPDATED TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, February 27
12pm – UAB vs. Marist
2:30pm – UAB vs. Queens
5:00pm – South Carolina vs. Marist

Saturday, February 28
10am – Queens vs. UAB
12:30pm – South Carolina vs. UAB
3pm – South Carolina vs. Marist
5:30pm – Marist vs. Queens

Sunday, March 1
10am – UAB vs. Marist
12:30pm – South Carolina vs. Queens
3:00pm – South Carolina vs. Queens

#19 South Carolina Gamecocks 11-5, 0-0 SEC
Coach: Ashley Woodard | 2nd Season
AVG Leader: .452 | Quincee Lilio
RBI Leader: 20 | Karley Shelton
Home Run Leader: 5 | Arianna Rodi
ERA Leader: 1.22 | Jori Heard
Strikeout Leader: 30 | Emma Friedel
Wins Leader: 5 | Emma Friedel

Marist Red Foxes 5-8, 0-0 MAAC
Coach: Joe Ausanio | 18th Season
Series History: South Carolina leads 1-0
Trend: South Carolina won 1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 2, Marist 1 | May 20, 2023 | Tallahassee, Fla.

Queens University Charlotte Royals 2-5, 0-0 ASUN
Coach: Kella Armstrong | 2nd Season
Series History: First Meeting

UAB Blazers 7-8, 0-0 AAC
Coach: Taylor Smartt | 1st Season
Series History: South Carolina leads 1-0
Trend: South Carolina won 1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 5, UAB 0 | Feb. 16, 2002 | Columbia

LEADING OFF

• The 2026 season is the 53rd season for the Carolina Softball team.
• This week in the polls the Gamecocks are ranked No. 19 by the NFCA, No. 21 by D1Softball, and No. 22 by Softball America, and by USA Softball/ESPN.
• The Gamecocks are coming off the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic where they went 2-3.
  • The Gamecocks defeated Washington and Saint Mary’s, while falling to No. 9 UCLA, No. 10 Nebraska, and No. 18 Oregon.
• The Gamecocks have never face Queens before and have only played UAB and Marist once in program history.
  • The Gamecocks defeated Marist 2-1 in an elimination game during the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Florida State.
• Last time the Gamecocks and Blazer faced off, future USC Hall of Fame inductee Megan Matthews struck out 13 to earn her third consecutive shutout.
• As a team, South Carolina ranks sixth in the nation in hit by pitches with 19.
  • They also rank 13th with 71 walks and 15th with eight double plays.
• Quincee Lilio and Arianna Rodi are currently tied for 12th in the nation with 1.00 walks per game.
• Lilio also ranks 30th in on-base percentage (.600).
• Emma Friedel wanked 31st in the country with five wins on the season.
• Arianna Rodi currently sits 5th among active NCAA players with 49 career home runs.
  • She also ranks 4th with 113 career walks.
• Alyssa Hovermale hit her first career home run Wednesday, the game-winner, against Winthrop.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

• South Carolina is 286-112 (.719) at Carolina Softball Stadium since being built in 2013. That includes a 7-1 record at home while hosting an NCAA Regional and a 1-2 record hosting Super Regionals at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
• Prior to 2021, South Carolina had not lost double digit games at home in seven years and has won 20 or more eight of the past nine seasons.
• Since 2016, South Carolina has consistently ranked among the nation’s leaders in attendance. Since that time, excluding the 2021 COVID season, they have never finished lower than 15th in average or cumulative attendance.
• In 2025, Carolina ranked 15th in the nation in total attendance and 28th in average attendance. They were 7th and 14th in 2024, 9th and 11th in 2023, 7th and 13th in 2022, 7th and 11th in 2020, 10th and 13th in 2019, 11th and 13th in 2018, 10th and 11th in 2017, 12th and 15th in 2016.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS IS NOTHING NEW FOR SC

• South Carolina is 312-83 (.790) over the past nine years in games outside the SEC.
• Notable wins include Washington, Clemson, Duke, Texas Tech, 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 will play 28 non-conference games in 2026, 21 of which will be played at Carolina Softball Stadium.

CAROLINA HOSTS TOURNAMENTS… AND WINS A LOT

• Carolina is an amazing 51-8 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 17 times. On the flip side, 17 games have ended as shutouts.
• Including the Carolina Classic and Black & Garnet Challenge, the Gamecocks are 101-11 in their past 112 home tournament games.

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD

• South Carolina has played 2,714 games in its softball history, going 1,749-958-7 (.646) in its 53 years of history.
• Carolina has posted 30 or more wins in 10 of the past 12 full seasons.
• Carolina has protected home well, also, with 17 or more victories coming in friendly confines each of the past 11 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.