Softball . March 24, 2026

No. 23 Softball Hosts First Game of Palmetto Series Wednesday Night

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 23rd ranked South Carolina softball team hosts the first game of the Palmetto Series Presented by the SC Education Lottery Wednesday (Mar. 25), when the Gamecocks take on the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on the SEC Network.

SERIES INFORMATION
Series History: Clemson leads 7-3
Trend: Clemson won 1
Last Meeting: Clemson 2, South Carolina 1, (9) | Apr. 15, 2025 | Clemson, S.C.

Palmetto Series Presented by SC Education Lottery

#23 South Carolina Gamecocks (21-12, 1-4)

vs.

Clemson Tigers (22-10, 6-3)

Mar 25, 2026 | 7:30 pm Columbia, S.C. | Carolina Softball Stadium

TV: SEC Network

ONLINE:

LEADING OFF

The 2026 season is the 53rd season for the Carolina Softball team.
This week in the polls the Gamecocks are ranked No. 23 by the NFCA, No. 24 by USA Softball/ESPN and is receiving votes from D1Softball.
They’re 27th in the RPI with an overall strength of schedule of 14.
Based on current opponent winning percentage, the Gamecocks have the toughest schedule in the nation. Opponents have a combined winning percentage of .694.
Carolina opened SEC play with the defending National Champion for the second straight season. They opened 2025 at Oklahoma.
Based on NCAA research, the Gamecocks are the only team in the nation with seven pitchers who have earned a win on the season. All seven Carolina pitchers on staff have earned at least one victory.
Friday’s 12-inning game was the longest game in Carolina Softball Stadium history.
The walk-off win in the 12th inning was South Carolina’s longest game since a 6-4, 12-inning win at Clemson two years to the day, March. 20, 2024.
Jamie Mackay has hit a home run in four of her last seven games.
The Gamecocks and Tigers first met in 1979 at the South Carolina AIAW State Tournament. Carolina earned a 24-5 victory to advance to the Regional Tournament and eventually the AIAW World Series.
Since Clemson added softball back, the Tigers lead the series, but the two sides have split the last two seasons.
Two of the last four matchups have gone to extra innings, with Carolina winning in 12 innings in 2024 and the Tigers winning in nine innings last season.
Arianna Rodi hit her 50th career home run against Queens on March 1.
- She currently sits 9th among active NCAA players in career home runs.
- Rodi also ranks 4th among active NCAA players in career walks.
- Quincee Lilio is 31st among active NCAA players in career walks.
As a team, South Carolina ranks 18th in the nation in hit by pitches.
The Gamecocks rank among the top-30 in: double plays, ERA, hits, hits allowed per game, on-base percentage, RBIs, total runs, triples, and walks.
Arianna Rodi currently is 7th among Division I players with 0.97 walks per game.
- Quincee Lilio ranks 34th at 0.82 per game.
Jori Heard ranks 19th in ERA with a 1.43.
- She also ranks 38th in WHIP with a 1.01.
Emma Friedel ranks 39th in the country in strikeouts per game (8.1).
Karley Shelton sits 22nd in the nation and 2nd in the SEC with 47 total hits.
Nealy Lamb ranks 39th nationally in hits allowed per game at 4.85.
Lexi Winters is tied for the SEC lead with five runners caught stealing.
Jamie Mackay hit walk off home runs in consecutive games to run-rule Boston College (Mar. 13 & 14).
Tate Davis had a walk-off single in the bottom of the 7th of Sunday’s game vs BC.
- Carolina had three straight walk-off wins for the first time since February 21-22, 2025.
Against the Eagles on Mar. 13 Carolina hit four home runs for the first time since also hitting four against then-No. 2 Oklahoma last season on March 9.
Emma Friedel tied a season-high with nine strikeouts against BC (Mar. 13).

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

South Carolina is 295-119 (.713) 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 321-85 (.791) over the past nine years in games outside the SEC.
Notable wins include 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.

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD

South Carolina has played 2,731 games in its softball history, going 1,759-965-7 (.645) 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.