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No. 25 Softball Continues Road Trip at No. 7 Tennessee Thursday
Softball  . 

No. 25 Softball Continues Road Trip at No. 7 Tennessee Thursday

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 25th ranked South Carolina softball team continues its road trip when the Gamecocks travel to Tennessee to take on the No. 7 Volunteers April 2-4. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

SERIES INFORMATION
Series History: Tennessee leads 47-23
Trend: Tennessee won 4
Last Meeting: Tennessee 8, South Carolina 0 (6) | Mar. 25, 2024 | Columbia, S.C.

#25 South Carolina Gamecocks (22-15, 2-7)
#25 South Carolina Gamecocks (22-15, 2-7)
at
#7 Tennessee Volunteers (30-5, 7-5)
#7 Tennessee Volunteers (30-5, 7-5)
Knoxville, Tenn. | Sherri Parker Lee Stadium

Series Schedule

#25 South Carolina Gamecocks 22-15, 2-7 SEC
Coach: Ashley Woodard | 2nd Season
AVG Leader: .391 | Quincee Lilio
RBI Leader: 32 | Karley Shelton
Home Run Leader: 7 | Arianna Rodi
ERA Leader: 1.47 | Jori Heard
Strikeout Leader: 70 | Jori Heard
Wins Leader: 8 | Emma Friedel

#7 Tennessee Volunteers 30-5, 7-5 SEC
Coach: Karen Weekly | 25th Season
AVG Leader: .447 | Sophia Knight
RBI Leader: 37 | Ella Dodge
Home Run Leader: 12 | Makenzie Butt and Ella Dodge
ERA Leader: 0.76 | Erin Nuwer
Strikeout Leader: 96 | Karlyn Pickens
Wins Leader: 12 | Erin Nuwer

LEADING OFF

  • The 2026 season is the 53rd season for the Carolina Softball team.
  • This week in the polls the Gamecocks are ranked No. 25 by the NFCA and is receiving votes from USA Softball/ESPN and D1Softball.
  • They’re 31st in the RPI with an overall strength of schedule of 10.
  • Based on current opponent winning percentage, the Gamecocks have the second toughest schedule in the nation. Opponents have a combined winning percentage of .685 (Arkansas, .695).
  • 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.
    • The 12-inning game was the longest game in Carolina Softball Stadium history.
    • It’s also tied for the third longest game in Division I this season.
  • Carolina is 9-23 all-time in Knoxville, but won the last meeting on May 7, 2023.
    • The Gamecocks last won a road series in 2002, earning the three-game sweep.
    • Carolina won the first ever series in 1997, when they were four-game series, taking in 3-1 in Columbia. All three wins came by a score of 1-0.
  • Arianna Rodi hit her 50th career home run against Queens on March 1.
    • She currently sits 10th among active NCAA players in career home runs.
    • Rodi also ranks 4th among active NCAA players in career walks.
    • Quincee Lilio is 37th among active NCAA players in career walks.
  • Jori Heard ranks 30th among active Division I players with a 2.37 career ERA.
    • Nealy Lamb also ranks 36th with a 2.48 ERA.
  • As a team, South Carolina ranks 27th in the nation in ERA with a 2.82.
  • The Gamecocks rank among the top-40 in: double plays, hit batters, hit by pitches, hits allowed, triples, and walks.
  • Arianna Rodi currently is 12th among Division I players with 0.92 walks per game.
  • Jori Heard ranks 15th in ERA with a 1.47.
    • She also ranks 33rd in WHIP with a 1.01.
  • Emma Friedel ranks 34th in strikeouts per seven innings with 8.2.
  • 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).

GAMECOCKS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

  • South Carolina is 192-428-1 (.310) against opponents ranked in the NFCA top 25 since 1995.
  • Broken down by site, the Gamecocks are 92-158 (.368) at home, 50-193 (.206) 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 2,735 games in its softball history, going 1,760-968-7 (.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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