Junior Samie Garcia leads the team with a .462 batting average
The South Carolina softball team will face its biggest challenge yet when the ladies square off with No. 3 Florida this weekend.
The Gators (23-2, 4-1 SEC) have dominated nearly everyone on their schedule, posting 14 shutouts in the season. Among the three pitchers for Florida, freshman Lauren Haegar has the highest ERA at 1.41.
It’s been no offensive slouch either, with junior catcher Kelsey Horton leading the way with nine home runs and 29 RBIs. In fact, the Gators already have four players with at least 22 RBIs on the season through 25 games.
For the Gamecocks, the task at hand will be difficult, but according to head coach Beverly Smith, all you need is an opportunity.
“This is the exciting part about being in the SEC,” Smith said. “You get the opportunity to go into Gainesville and upset the No. 3 team in the country. They’re coming off two World Series appearances, and to me, that’s what these kids play for — is to go out there and get that timely hit and make those great plays. I always say, if we can keep the ballgame close, then we’ve got a chance to win.”
Even as the Gamecocks embrace the challenges of facing top-notch teams, they know they must limit their mistakes. Errors have been costly for USC at times in the season, the most recent being Wednesday against Charlotte when a Carolina error allowed the 49ers to put up four unearned runs in the first inning. During the teams’ two-game sweep at the hands of Mississippi State Tuesday, the team committed four errors.
“We have to make sure that we are taking care of the ball and getting outs,” Smith said. “If we do make mistakes, or if we do walk a batter, we can’t let it snowball into something bigger. We are really looking to get outs on plays.”
Carolina (19-9, 2-3 SEC) has had a balanced offensive attack so far this season. Junior Samie Garcia leads the team with a .462 batting average, and senior outfielder Lauren Lackey also has a .432 average. Four players have at least three home runs, and seven have at least 13 RBIs. Smith says the lack of one dominant player has helped Carolina thus far.
“We really don’t have one standout player, and I think that is what makes us so strong,” Smith said. “We lead such a balanced attack. In all the different games, we have had a different person step up in clutch situations. We’ve seen Evan Childs have some walk-off nights for us and Garcia has obviously been big for us in the leadoff spot. When she is on, things happen for our offense.”
Carolina will need everyone to click on all cylinders as it heads into the weekend showdown and then follow that up with a game at North Carolina Wednesday.
“Florida is obviously a fantastic team,” Smith said. “They have a potent offense and they have got an excellent pitching staff. For us, it’s going to be a matter of stringing some stuff together offensively and taking care of things on defense.”