Gamecocks look to earn a spot in the SEC tournament
The South Carolina softball team is anxious to get on the field for a crucial SEC series against Arkansas.
After beating Campbell University 2-0 on Tuesday, the team will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend for a three-game set.
The Gamecocks (26-14, 6-9 SEC) sit ninth in the SEC standings, only two games above the 10th-place team LSU and three games ahead of 11th-place Ole Miss.
With only 10 teams making the SEC tournament, the Arkansas series is pivotal for the team’s finish in the conference, coach Beverly Smith said.
“This is an important series for us. We want to make sure we are in the mix to play in the SEC tournament that we are hosting,” Smith said. “A series win would put us on good ground to secure that spot in the tournament.”
After beating Campbell 2-0 at home Tuesday, the team will be headed on the road to play in this pivotal series.
South Carolina has been playing better at home than on the road this season, boasting a 20-3 home record compared to a 4-8 away mark.
“It’s another SEC road game,” Smith said. “It’s always tough going into someone else’s park. Arkansas is a lot like us. They are rebuilding, they have some good recruits and they hit the ball well.”
Smith said that her pitchers can keep the Razorback hitters down, but the key this weekend will be the Gamecocks’ offense.
“This series is going to come down to whom scores the most runs,” Smith said. “They are a strong offensive group, and I think we are too. It’s going to be about duking it out this weekend.”
The Gamecocks have had success at the plate this season, especially during a seven-game winning streak that was recently snapped. The team is looking to get back to the kind of hitting that won them seven straight games.
“We need to hit,” freshman pitcher Nickie Blue said. “We need to get the timely, quality at bats in a row. We need to not be afraid to walk and view them as good things. Walks can contribute to a timely hit that could get us into scoring position.”
While Arkansas is lower in the standings, with a record of 2-10, Smith said that could be misleading.
She said that the Razorbacks have played two series without their top two pitchers and that she expects a different look from them this weekend with those two in the lineup.
While this is a vital series for the Gamecocks in the SEC, Blue said she won’t approach this series any differently than she would a non-conference foe.
“Each opponent is just the other team in the dugout,” Blue said. “We shouldn’t view them any different, and we shouldn’t go at them any different. Even though there are different things associated with the SEC, [each game] counts toward a common goal, and we shouldn’t look at them any different.”
Going into the weekend, Smith said that if her players can play to their strengths and focus on each pitch and each out, she likes their chances.
But for Blue, it’s just exciting to return to the field.
“I’m looking forward to getting back out there and being competitive,” Blue said. “Our team brings a special emotion and competitiveness into each game, and I’m excited to see where that can take us.”