USC to face Wolfpack for first time since 2007 NCAA Regionals
South Carolina softball coach Beverly Smith has been saying for weeks that her team was just on the cusp of an SEC series win.
The Gamecocks had been close, losing on a walk-off hit to Auburn and twice to Tennessee. This weekend against Arkansas, the Gamecocks started out on the right track, winning Game 1 to give themselves the edge from the start.
USC dropped the second game 2-1 in nine innings, but the Gamecocks came back on Sunday in the rubber game, getting a 5-4 lead in the fourth off Molly Brossart's single it did not relinquish.
As the Gamecocks prepare to host N.C. State, they can't help but feel encouraged by this week's production.
After only scoring one run against Coastal Carolina early in the week, Carolina's bats heated up. The Gamecocks brought home four runs against USC Upstate before scoring seven in the opener against Arkansas.
The pitching was strong throughout the week as well, with Julie Sarratt earning Freshman of the Week after throwing a one-hitter against Coastal and then having strong relief outings against Arkansas, pitching a three-inning save on Sunday. Sarratt is just the fourth freshman to have earned the honor twice this season.
The Wolfpack enter today's matchup with momentum of their own, having won three of their past four games. They mirror the Gamecocks on the offensive side of the ball, hitting .270 compared to USC's .274.
The Gamecocks will need to be wary of Alyssa Allbritten and Bridget Desbois, who are each averaging .328. They have 25 and 23 RBIs, respectively, but the power of the team comes from Bethaney Wells, who has hit seven homeruns this season. Kayla Cox leads the pitching staff with a 3.35 ERA, but Morgan Peeler is not far behind with 3.63 ERA and a 9-7 record. While Cox has been consistent for the Wolfpack, she's given up 24 homeruns this season in her outings, which could be favorable if she faces USC since the bats have been hot recently.
South Carolina will also have history on its side, as the Gamecocks have never lost to N.C. State, winning each of the three meetings. The last meeting came in the 2007 NCAA Regional, where the Gamecocks got by with a 4-3 victory.