South Carolina softball excited, prepared heading into hostile environment at Oklahoma
No. 11 South Carolina is heading into its second weekend road trip against a top-ten opponent in as many weeks.
A week after sweeping then-No. 9 Duke in Durham, the Gamecocks are going up against top-ranked Oklahoma on the road this weekend. The Sooners, the only unbeaten team besides the Gamecocks, have won the past four Women’s College World Series championships.
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Playing Duke on the road a week ago added experience in facing an environment like South Carolina will face at Love’s Field, infielder Arianna Rodi said.
“Just using it as a test run … the same process we use here is the same process we use on the road,” Rodi said. “So just doing exactly what we did last week … staying within ourselves as a whole and keeping everything the same that we do.”
Utility Quincee Lilio also said the Duke weekend helped the team.
“We needed to feel that,” Lilio said. “We step into a place, and we had to make it our own. And I think with the preparation going into Oklahoma, being at Love’s Field, that atmosphere is electric, that place is electric, and you can feel it all. I think our biggest thing is to rely on each other and to slow the game.”
Head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard’s main advice would be not to give the crowd much attention. Putting up a “Force field” or being tone deaf to their surroundings are skills South Carolina needs to possess, she said.
“I just want them to know that, hey, the environment is going to be tough, but it’s not anything we can’t overcome, and we just need to do our best to tone it out,” Chastain Woodard said. “When I was in the SEC, even 12-15 years ago, it was the same. You know, you go into other places, and it’s tough. So, I think they can do it, and I’m excited to see them compete in the environment this weekend.”
Chastain Woodard said the team is going to play in environments like that all season long.
“I think the environment is going to be a really regional feel,” Chastain Woodard said. “Those are the environments we want to be in. I want to put the team in those positions and really see that as an opportunity to compete like we can and put ourselves in a position to win. You know, and then we just have to make it happen.”
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Lilio is excited to hit the road back to the field where she started her college career. She played at Oklahoma for three seasons from 2022-24.
“I’m super excited for this team to go up against the best and to open up at the best place,” she said. “So I think it’s a really great step for us.”
Lilio saw action in 88 games, including 14 starts in the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined. She batted .211 with two home runs and 14 RBI while at Oklahoma. Through 20 games with the Gamecocks, she is batting .583 with 19 RBI, 35 hits, and two triples.
Lilio’s familiarity with the environment allows her to share advice with her teammates on what to expect. She said she tries to share a little bit here and there.
“At the end of the day, we’re just there to play softball,” Lilio said. “We’re just there to play the game we know how to play and not make the stage bigger than it already is. Love’s Field is a different environment, it’s a different feel there.”
