South Carolina softball earns top-10 rankings ahead of huge weekend series
South Carolina softball is one of just two undefeated teams left in major college softball. The Gamecocks, in year one of new head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, have exceeded all expectations through the season’s opening month. Following a huge road sweep of a top-10 Duke Blue Devils team (the same one that ended Carolina’s season in the NCAA Tournament in 2024), USC sits at a perfect 19-0 record. Only the dynastic Oklahoma Sooners can say the same.
This weekend, the two unblemished SEC programs will meet on the diamond. South Carolina will travel to Norman for a three-game series at Love’s Field to determine just how legitimate this hot start is for the garnet and black.
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Based on some of the updated top-25 rankings, that series will be a top-10 showdown.
D1Softball has slotted South Carolina as the nation’s No. 9 team. The Gamecocks moved up 12 overall spots from last week’s No. 21 ranking.
Earlier this week, On3’s Softball America also moved the Gamecocks up significantly from No. 17 to No. 9. The eight-spot jump wasn’t even the largest for Carolina this week.
The ESPN.com and USA Softball poll ranked USC 21st last week. This week, though, South Carolina softball is all the way up to No. 10. That marks an 11-spot improvement.
USA Today and the NFCA rank the Gamecocks 11th, up eight spots from 19th in last week’s poll.
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Before the big weekend series begins, however, the Gamecocks have a mid-week contest to play. (For what it’s worth, Oklahoma does not play a game in the mid-week this week.)
South Carolina will host the Youngstown State Penguins on Wednesday of this week. The 6:00 p.m. contest will not be on traditional television but will stream on SEC Network+.
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Then, the Gamecocks will travel to the Midwest for their date with Oklahoma. Ranked by some outlets at No. 2 and at No. 1 by others, the Sooners have lost just 15 total games during their four-year Women’s College World Series National Championship streak. Adding some intrigue to the matchup, former Sooner Quincee Lilieo has been a dynamic leadoff hitter for USC this season.
Friday’s game one will begin at 7:30 p.m. SEC Network+ will stream the matchup as it will not be on traditional television.
First pitch for game two is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. That contest also will stream on SEC Network+.
The series finale on Sunday, though, will air on television. SEC Network will air game three (the ESPN app also will stream it), starting at 2:30 p.m.
