Columbia, SC—The South Carolina Gamecocks softball team has made history by advancing to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals for the first time since 2018. In a dominant 8-0 victory over North Florida on Sunday, the Gamecocks secured their spot in the next round. As the No. 8 national seed, they will host the Super Regional at Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia, SC, next weekend.
Under the leadership of first-year head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, the Gamecocks have achieved a remarkable turnaround, earning a 42-15 record and a 13-11 mark in SEC play. This success has propelled them to the Super Regionals, where they will face the winner of the Los Angeles Regional, which features UCLA and UC Santa Barbara.
In the decisive game against North Florida, pitchers Sam Gress and Jori Heard combined for a shutout, while the offense exploded for six runs in the fifth inning, all with two outs. Key contributions came from Karley Shelton, Arianna Rodi, Lexi Winters, Brooke Blankenship, Abigail Knight, and Emma Sellers. Rodi’s RBI double in the fifth set a new program record for runs scored in a season.
The Gamecocks’ resilience and depth have been evident throughout the season, and they are poised to continue their postseason run in front of their home crowd. With the support of their fans, the Gamecocks aim to bring another NCAA title to Columbia.
Stay tuned for the upcoming Super Regional match-ups and support the Gamecocks as they chase their championship dreams.
