South Carolina softball suffers first losses of season, gets swept by Oklahoma

The South Carolina softball team’s perfect start to the 2025 season has come to a close.

The Gamecocks headed to Norman, Oklahoma, aiming to pull off an upset against a team that has won the past four national championships. Even though South Carolina put up a strong fight in each contest, none of them resulted in a win for the away team. All three games were one-run losses.

Here’s a recap of the Gamecocks’ three-game series against Oklahoma.

Game one

Through one-and-a-half innings of its series opener, South Carolina seemed poised for a shock series-opening win. After the Sooners opened the scoring with one run in the bottom of the first, the Gamecocks used a “small ball” approach and capitalized on their opponent’s mistakes to plate five runs in the top of the second.

South Carolina’s first three batters – Ella Chancey, Brooke Blankenship and Lexi Winters – all reached base via singles, resulting in the game-tying run crossing the plate. The Gamecocks would then extend their lead to two after Natalie Heath drove in a run after reaching base on a fielding error and Abigail Knight advanced home on a wild pitch. Karley Shelton capped off the scoring with a two-run single that was aided by another defensive error.

It would not be much longer, though, before Oklahoma regained the lead and did not let it go. The Friday night game would eventually end in a 10-9 victory in favor of the Sooners.

By the end of the third inning, Oklahoma had already regained the lead. Round-trippers by Isabela Emerling and Gabbie Garcia provided the Sooners with two and three more runs, respectively.

The Gamecocks tied the game at six runs apiece in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Winters. But, much like she did in the second inning, Emerling would be the one to provide a quick response for Oklahoma. Her second two-run home run of the game put the home team up 8-6.

The Sooners’ scoring was not done there – Hannah Coor put them even further ahead with a two-run double in the sixth. Despite a late comeback attempt from South Carolina, which included a three-run home run by Winters, Oklahoma held on for the victory.

Game two

The second game of the series was originally scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. Mother Nature had other plans, though, as inclement weather forced the game to be postponed until Sunday.

Although this contest took place on another day, it had the same outcome as the first. The Gamecocks held a lead at one point but could not get the job done, falling 10-9 again.

South Carolina tasked Jori Heard, who has served as the team’s ace this season, with keeping the Sooners’ bats at bay. After allowing four runs across four innings pitched two days earlier, her struggles carried into Oklahoma’s series-clinching victory.

Heard’s outing lasted just 17 pitches, and she retired just one of the six batters she faced. She also allowed home runs to Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Garcia and Cydney Sanders, which dug the Gamecocks into an early 5-0 hole.

South Carolina’s offense, undeterred by the early deficit, kept fighting back.

Abigail Knight and Heath both launched solo home runs in the second inning. The Sooners made the score 6-2 in the bottom of the third, but the Gamecocks promptly tied the game on a grand slam by Chancey during the next half inning. South Carolina later gained the lead after Knight brought Blankenship home on a sacrifice fly.

However, even after extending its lead by another run in the fifth, the Gamecocks could not keep Oklahoma from coming back. McEnroe-Marinas’ strong day at the plate continued with another three-run home run in the bottom of the frame, giving the Sooners a 9-8 lead.

Heath kept things interesting with her second solo home run to tie the game at nine. It would be the Sooners that had the last laugh, though, as Garcia’s RBI double in the bottom of the seventh gave Oklahoma a walk-off win.

Game three

By the time the series finale rolled around, both teams had used up most of their offensive firepower. South Carolina’s hitters went a combined 3-for-24 (.125) in Sunday’s nightcap, while Oklahoma mustered just two hits in 20 at-bats (.100).

But the damage the Sooners inflicted in the bottom of the first would prove to be enough to secure the sweep, as they went on to win 2-1.

Heard and Oklahoma’s Audrey Lowry engaged in a pitchers’ duel throughout the evening. The former, after getting roughed up in the previous game, delivered five innings of two-run ball while striking out three batters. The first of those two runs came on an RBI single by McEnroe-Marinas, while the second came on a throwing error by the Gamecocks.

Lowry, meanwhile, threw a seven-inning complete game. Her lone blemish of the day was serving up a solo home run to Arianna Rodi in the fourth inning.

Next up

South Carolina will look to return to winning ways when it faces Coastal Carolina in a midweek matchup at Beckham Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.

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