The South Carolina softball team has shown dominance with 12 run-rule wins and success this season with an overall 27-7 record about two months into the regular season.
Junior pitcher Jori Heard has stood out for the Gamecocks by having a very strong season so far, especially in the debut season for head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard.
Heard has pitched 13 games thus far and won 11 for the Gamecocks in 2025 as an upperclassman and integral part of the team's defensive side.
Before committing to South Carolina, Heard played at Huntley High School in Illinois, right outside of her hometown of Algonquin, where she was named Northwest Herald Female Athlete of the Year and softball Player of the Year in 2022.
Prior to this season
During the 2023 season, when Heard was a freshman, she contributed by pitching in 20 games for the Gamecocks, seven of which she started in the circle.
Heard continued to see more playing time in her sophomore season, where she made 31 appearances in the circle with 14 starts.
Heard showed that she is a significant part of the softball team's success and development, even in her time as an underclassman.
During her time sitting behind former Gamecock pitcher Alana Vawter, who held an ERA of 1.82, Heard still was able to make crucial plays and hold her own on the mound. Heard was second in ERA (1.88) for the Gamecocks and earned her career save against USC Upstate on May 1.
Heard made history when she pitched a perfect game for the Gamecocks for the first time since 2007 and led the team to a win over Bethune-Cookman University on March 2, 2024. This made her the seventh player in Gamecock program history to do so.
Chastain Woodard and Heard
When Chastain Woodard took control of the team this past summer, she was able to make an impact on Heard and contributed to Heard's success and development as a player.
“They have brought me in and taught me so much already in such a little time, and they make me feel welcomed, and they make me feel a lot more confident in my skills,” Heard said. “I know Ash is really big on culture, and she’s just been doing such a great job being a leader and teaching us the right way to build our team and be better as one.”
Heard currently holds an ERA of 2.66, and among the 11 games she has started during this season, she has pitched complete games for three of them.
Success as an upperclassman
One of Heard's main goals for this season was to improve her confidence and take the belief in her team and her own skills outside of the bullpen.
“We are a brand new team, but we have already gotten so far connection-wise," Heard said. “We all build off each other to be better each and every day … I think we can accomplish a lot; I think we'll be amazing this year.”
The Gamecocks started off strong this season with a 20-game winning streak, its best start to the season since 1976. The Gamecocks lost its first three games in Norman, Oklahoma to the then-No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners.
Additionally, South Carolina added two additional losses after playing Coastal Carolina University and the University of Georgia.
In one of her most highlighted games, versus East Carolina on Feb. 9, she pitched seven innings and had 10 strikeouts along the way.
So far this season, Heard has also tallied 72 strikeouts, adding to her career total strikeout count of 188.
When looking at her number of pitches in comparison to strikes thrown, Heard has dominated by pitching 1228-821, calculating a strike rate of 66.85% overall so far in 2025.
Heard's success will be vital for future victories and achievements the Gamecocks hope to pursue this season — throughout the remainder of regulation play and into the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.
Heard said the team's bond has contributed not only to the team's success but also to her own personal achievements this season.
“Building our bond, our culture, everything, just staying positive and believing in ourselves,” Heard said.
What's next?
South Carolina softball returns home on Wednesday to face the Wofford Terriers. First pitch from Beckham Field is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.