Previewing the Gamecocks Softball’s games this weekend:
Auburn Tigers: The Lady Gamecocks face off against the Auburn Tigers twice this weekend on both Friday and Saturday afternoons at 1 PM EST. The Gamecocks will face off against the Tigers after sweeping Southeast Missouri State in their opening weekend. Now, SEMO is no win to brag about, BUT early-season sweeps can get some real momentum going for Auburn. Auburn rookie pitcher Maddie Penta won ‘SEC Co-Freshman of the Week’, pitching a goose egg ERA with just one unearned run in a dozen innings. Penta struck out 13 opponents in a row and held the opposition to a batting average of .051.
The Gamecocks will face off against Auburn twice so the team will need to be explosive off the bat in both contests. South Carolina didn’t rank in the NCAA’s top-50 for batting averages, so this season will have to show mass improvement. Junior Haley Simpson led the team last year with a batting average of .353 with a couple of doubles and triples.
I think the Lady Gamecocks will find success on the diamond in both matchups.
Prediction: The Gamecocks sweep the Auburn Tigers 2-0 and 4-2
Jacksonville University: Jacksonville University may be a tough matchup for the Lady Gamecocks this week. The Jacksonville University Dolphins are currently 2-1, with impressive wins over the ACC’s very own Boston College. Their only loss has come at the hands of the Florida Gators softball team, who is currently ranked fifth in the country. The one-point loss really speaks volumes about how talented this team actually is.
Senior pitcher Alyssa Bilodeau was named the Atlantic Sun Conference ‘Pitcher of the week’ in the Dolphin’s wins against the Boston College Eagles. In her second matchup, she came in relief, where she four opponents in two innings, while only allowing two hits and one run. Her first two-game stat line is 16 total strikeouts in about nine innings, only allowing two hits and a run on Sunday.
The Gamecocks will need to come hot out of the dugout and really get a lot of contact on the ball for this matchup to in South Carolina’s favor. The story that the Lady Gamecocks need to keep the bats rolling carries into all three matchups and is really the key to victory this week.
Prediction: South Carolina falls to the Jacksonville University Dolphins 5-4