Softball . May 4, 2026

Softball Faces Ole Miss in Opening Round of SEC Tournament Tuesday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The South Carolina softball team will be the No. 12 seed in the SEC Tournament hosted by Kentucky which runs May 5-9. The Gamecocks face the 13 seed Ole Miss in the opening round Tuesday. Due to forecasted weather first pitch will be at approximately 5 p.m., or 35 minutes after the conclusion of the Kentucky vs. Mississippi State game.

SERIES INFORMATION
Series History: South Carolina leads 39-27
Trend: South Carolina won 1
Last Meeting: South Carolina 4, Ole Miss 2 | April 6, 2025 | Columbia, S.C.

SEC Tournament

#12 South Carolina Gamecocks (30-25)

vs.

#13 Ole Miss Rebels (32-23)

May 5, 2026 | 7:00 pm Lexington, Ky. | John Cropp Stadium

TV: SEC Network

RADIO: SEC Radio

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. 21 in the USA Softball/ESPN and Softball America polls, No. 23 by D1Softball, and receiving votes by the NFCA/GoRout Poll.
They’re 25th in the RPI with an overall strength of schedule of 2, trailing Arkansas.
Carolina has played more Top-25 RPI games than any other Division I program (29)
- The next closest is 28 by Texas A&M.
The schedule also features nine of the Top-11 RPI teams and four of the Top-5, the most of any program, Missouri is just behind with eight of the Top-11.
Carolina has played 13 of the top-22 RPI teams and 15 of the top-30.
Based on current opponent winning percentage, the Gamecocks have the second toughest schedule in the nation. Opponents have a combined winning percentage of .654. (Arkansas, .661)
The Gamecocks and Rebels will meet for the first time in the SEC Tournament.
- Carolina earned the series win 2-1 in Columbia a season ago.
- The Gamecocks won the first seven games of the series (1997-99).
In the SEC Tournament, South Carolina 29-27 all-time.
- Carolina won the inaugural SEC Tournament in 1997.
- They also won the 2000 Tournament when it was double-elimination.
- The Gamecocks have played in Championship game three times since (2001, 2018, 2023).
- The last time the SEC Tournament was played in Lexington (2013), the Gamecocks defeated Kentucky 6-3 before falling to Tennessee 5-0.
- Last season the Carolina defeated Alabama in the second round before falling to eventual co-champion Texas A&M in the quarterfinals.
- In 2023, South Carolina became the first, and only since, first double-digit seed to reach the SEC Championship and lowest seed ever to reach the finals.
Despite being swept at No. 4 Alabama, the Gamecocks held the Tide to their fewest runs in an SEC Series this season (8). It’s the fewest they have scored since the final series of the 2024 season against Auburn (5).
The Gamecocks earned the series win over No. 11 Texas A&M.
- The four runs allowed in the series are the fewest the Aggies have been held to in an SEC series since the Gamecocks held them to two runs during a Carolina sweep in April of 2023.

SEASON NOTES AT A GLANCE

Jori Heard was ranked at the No. 5 pitcher in Softball America’s May Power Rankings.
Carolina opened SEC play with the defending National Champion for the second straight season. They opened 2025 at Oklahoma.
The Gamecocks are one of five teams in DI with at least seven pitchers who have earned a win on the season (UCF, South Dakota State, Lindenwood, UTSA).
- All seven Carolina pitchers on staff have earned at least one victory.
Arianna Rodi hit her 50th career home run against Queens on March 1.
- She sits 11th among active NCAA players in career home runs with 55.
- Rodi also ranks 5th among active NCAA players in career walks and 46th in Division I in RBIs.
Quincee Lilio is 35th among active NCAA players in career walks.
Jori Heard ranks 32nd among active Division I players with a 2.39 career ERA.
She also ranks 21st in appearances and 42nd in strikeouts per 7 innings.
As a team, South Carolina ranks 23rd in the nation in hit by pitches with 46.
- The Gamecocks rank 26th in ERA (2.93), 34th in fielding percentage (.974), 35th in strikeouts per seven innings (5.95), and 40th in walks (200)
Arianna Rodi is 23rd among Division I players with 0.82 walks per game.
Jori Heard ranks 26th in ERA with a 1.94.
- She also second the SEC and is 29th in the nation with 37 appearances.
Emma Friedel ranks 28th with 8.4 strikeouts per seven innings.
Lexi Winters is third in the SEC with eight runners caught stealing.

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.