[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.91″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.19.7″ src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/SXxhUFWCJ-s” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” custom_margin=”10px|||” _builder_version=”3.0.92″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.20.1″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n
Warm sunshine, the smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of a ball flying off of a bat signals that softball season is in full swing \u00a0for the University of South Carolina Softball team.<\/p>\n
That was a perfect combination for the team to sweep opening games over UNC Greensboro and Ohio at Beckham Field Friday to open the 2019 home schedule. Carolina defeated \u00a0Ohio UNC-G 11-3 in five innings before claiming a win against the Bobcats in a 4-2 victory.<\/p>\n
After starting the season\u00a0in early February in the Puerto Vallarta challenge in Mexico, Coach Beverly Smith said the team was ready to play in front of a\u00a0home crowd.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cEvery team has to come up with their own identity,” Smith said. “And we added a group of freshmen who are very talented and I think the seniors have done a nice job setting what the tone and work ethic is at practice.\u201d<\/p>\n With record-breaking success in 2018, the team plans to use that momentum to advance\u00a0even further. With a mature returning staff and the addition of five freshman, the team has no doubt in\u00a0their ability to perform.<\/p>\n Last year\u00a0the\u00a0Gamecocks started the season 21-0 and made\u00a0their second super regional appearance in program history.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of a tease,\u201d\u00a0said Kennedy Clark, senior outfielder. \u201cWe were so close to where we wanted to be, but we know now what it takes to get there and to pass that level.\u201d<\/p>\n The good news for the Gamecocks is the team returns all three pitchers Cayla Drotar, All SEC freshman Kelsey Oh, and Dixie Raley. Six of the nine starters are also returning, including preseason All-American Mackenzie Boesel.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Gamecock Softball team opened their season home with wins over UNC Greensboro and Ohio.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":147,"featured_media":17741,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" The warm sunshine, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the sound of a ball flying off of a bat signals that softball season is\u00a0in full swing \u00a0for the University of South Carolina Softball team. After starting the season\u00a0in early Feb.\u00a0in the Puerto Vallarta challenge in Mexico,\u00a0the team is ready to play in front of a\u00a0home crowd.<\/span><\/p> With record-breaking<\/span> success in 2018, the team plans to use that momentum to advance\u00a0even further. A mature returning staff and the addition of five freshman, the team has no doubt in\u00a0their ability to perform.<\/p> \u00a0<\/span><\/strong>\u201cEvery team has to come up with their own identity,\" said Beverly Smith, softball head coach. \"And we added a group of freshmen who are very talented and I think the seniors have done a nice job setting what the tone and work ethic is at practice.\u201d<\/p> Last year\u00a0the\u00a0Gamecocks started the season 21-0 and made\u00a0their second super regional appearance in program history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> \u201cIt was kind of a tease,\u201d\u00a0said Kennedy Clark, senior outfielder. \u201cWe were so close to where we wanted to be, but we know now what it takes to get there and to pass that level.\u201d<\/p> The good news for the Gamecocks is the team returns all three pitchers Cayla Drotar, All SEC freshman Kelsey Oh, and Dixie Raley.<\/span> Six of the nine starters are also returning, including preseason All-American Mackenzie Boesel.<\/p> The Gamecocks are set to play at Beckham Field at 2:30 p.m. Friday Feb. 15 against UNC Greensboro and again at 5 p.m. versus Ohio.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[63,38,66,40],"tags":[570,571,569],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17585"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/147"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17585"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21643,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17585\/revisions\/21643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}