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No. 23 Gamecocks Set for First SEC Road Trip
Softball  . 

No. 23 Gamecocks Set for First SEC Road Trip

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The 23rd ranked South Carolina softball team travels to No. 12 Mississippi State for its first SEC road trip of the season March 28-30. The Gamecocks begin a road trip that will see them play six games in eight days. The final two games of the series will be broadcast on SEC Network.

SERIES INFORMATION
Series History: Mississippi State leads 35-37
Trend: South Carolina won 2
Last Meeting: South Carolina 8, Mississippi State 4 | May 8, 2024 | Auburn, Ala.

#23 South Carolina Gamecocks (21-13, 1-5)
#23 South Carolina Gamecocks (21-13, 1-5)
at
#12 Mississippi State Bulldogs (30-6, 2-4)
#12 Mississippi State Bulldogs (30-6, 2-4)
Starkville Miss. | Nusz Park

Series Schedule

#23 South Carolina Gamecocks 21-13, 1-5 SEC
Coach: Ashley Woodard | 2nd Season
AVG Leader: .410 | Quincee Lilio
RBI Leader: 32 | Karley Shelton
Home Run Leader: 6 | Three tied
ERA Leader: 1.46 | Jori Heard
Strikeout Leader: 65 | Jori Heard
Wins Leader: 8 | Emma Friedel

#12 Mississippi State Bulldogs 30-6, 2-4 SEC
Coach: Samantha Ricketts | 7th Season
AVG Leader: .408 | Kiarra Sells
RBI Leader: 29 | Nadia Barbary
Home Run Leader: 12 | Kiarra Sells
ERA Leader: 0.82 | Leila Ammon
Strikeout Leader: 152 | Alyssa Faircloth
Wins Leader: 12 | Peja Goold

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.
  • The walk-off win in the 12th inning against LSU was South Carolina’s longest game since a 6-4, 12-inning win at Clemson two years to the day, March. 20, 2024.
  • Friday’s 12-inning game was the longest game in Carolina Softball Stadium history.
  • South Carolina is 9-16 all-time in their Monday SEC Series dating back to 2015.
  • This is the second time the Gamecocks have been on the road for their Monday Series (2022 at Auburn) and is their 10th overall Monday Series.
  • The Gamecocks and Bulldogs first met in 1985 for a doubleheader in Cookeville, Tennessee.
  • Both games went nine innings, with the Gamecocks winning game one 7-3 and fell in game two 5-4.
  • The two teams didn’t meet again until SEC softball began in 1997.
  • The Gamecocks have won the last two meetings, but the Bulldogs won the previous seven meetings.
  • Jamie Mackay has hit a home run in four of her last eight games.
  • 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 33rd among active NCAA players in career walks.
  • Jori Heard ranks 33rd among active Division I players with a 2.39 career ERA.
    • Nealy Lamb also ranks 41st with a 2.52 ERA.
  • As a team, South Carolina ranks 22nd in the nation in double plays.
  • The Gamecocks rank among the top-30 in: ERA, hit by pitches, total runs, triples, and walks.
  • Arianna Rodi currently is 6th among Division I players with 0.97 walks per game.
    • Quincee Lilio ranks 35th at 0.79 per game.
  • Jori Heard ranks 21st in ERA with a 1.45.
    • She also ranks 37th in WHIP with a 1.03.
  • Karley Shelton sits 26th in the nation and 3rd in the SEC with 47 total hits.
  • Lexi Winters is second in the SEC 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).

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

  • South Carolina is 191-426-1 (.310) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
  • Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 92-158 (.368) at home, 49-191 (.204) on the road and 50-77-1 (.395) in neutral-site outings.
  • In 2025 the Gamecocks were 16-14 against ranked opponents.
  • In 2024, the Gamecocks went 9-20 against ranked opponents.

SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL RECORD

  • South Carolina has played 2,732 games in its softball history, going 1,759-966-7 (.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.

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