The crowd inside Carolina Softball Stadium erupted on a breezy Friday night as the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Softball Tournament, delivered a resounding statement in Game One of the Columbia Super Regional, dominating the No. 9 UCLA Bruins with a complete performance that left no doubt about their postseason intentions. Behind timely hitting, crisp defense, and a lights-out showing in the circle, the Gamecocks rolled to a decisive 7–1 win, moving one victory away from their first Women’s College World Series berth since 2007.
Coming into the best-of-three series, much of the national focus had been on UCLA’s pedigree. A 13-time national champion with a legacy steeped in excellence, the Bruins entered Columbia with a battle-tested roster and the momentum of a strong Regional performance. However, South Carolina was more than ready to meet the moment. Fueled by a raucous home crowd and riding the wave of an outstanding postseason run, the Gamecocks came out swinging—literally and figuratively—setting the tone early and never letting up.
It began in the bottom of the first, when South Carolina leadoff hitter Maddie Gallagher drew a full-count walk and immediately put pressure on the Bruins’ defense with aggressive baserunning. That set the stage for sophomore slugger Marissa Gonzalez, who turned on a 2-1 pitch and rocketed it over the left field wall for a two-run homer, sending the Gamecock faithful into a frenzy. The blast, her 13th of the season, was the spark South Carolina needed. It sent a message not just to UCLA, but to the entire NCAA field—that this team wasn’t just happy to be here. They were hunting Omaha.
In the circle, South Carolina turned to their ace, senior right-hander Alana Vawter, and she delivered a masterclass in poise, precision, and power. Facing one of the most dangerous lineups in college softball, Vawter scattered four hits across seven innings while striking out nine and walking just one. She worked both sides of the plate with ease, mixing speeds and eye levels to keep UCLA hitters off balance all night. When the Bruins threatened with two on and one out in the top of the third, Vawter dug deep and struck out consecutive hitters with back-to-back riseballs that drew gasps from the crowd.
While Vawter kept the Bruins quiet, South Carolina’s offense kept pouring it on. In the third inning, following a bunt single from Kennedy Hornsby and a double to the left-center gap by senior catcher Riley Blampied, the Gamecocks extended their lead with a perfectly executed squeeze play. Freshman sensation Janiah Boyd dropped down a bunt that scored Hornsby and gave South Carolina a 3–0 lead. The momentum only built from there.
In the fifth, the Gamecocks delivered the knockout blow. With two outs and runners on second and third, junior infielder Emma Sellers laced a line drive single to right field that brought both runners home. Sellers, who’s been clutch all season, came through once again in a high-pressure moment, giving South Carolina a commanding 5–0 cushion. They weren’t done yet. The next batter, Maddie Gallagher, followed with a triple off the wall in center field, bringing Sellers around and pushing the lead to six.
UCLA managed to scrape across a run in the sixth after a solo home run by utility player Maya Brady, who has been a consistent force for the Bruins throughout the season. But the blast served more as a footnote than a rallying cry. Vawter promptly retired the next three hitters in order, showing the same calm demeanor that has defined her career. In the bottom half, South Carolina tacked on one more insurance run after a throwing error allowed pinch runner Peyton Adams to score from second, further deflating the Bruins’ hopes.
Defensively, South Carolina was airtight. Second baseman Brooke Blankenship made several standout plays, including a diving stop in the fourth that robbed UCLA of a potential RBI single. Behind the plate, Blampied controlled the running game with confidence and framed pitches like a veteran, helping Vawter navigate some of UCLA’s toughest hitters.
After the final out—a routine grounder to short that Sellers calmly fielded and fired to first—the Gamecocks spilled out of the dugout, high-fiving and hugging as the crowd roared in approval. The win marked South Carolina’s 49th of the season and gave them a critical 1–0 lead in the Super Regional. With the victory, the Gamecocks now find themselves just one win away from the Women’s College World Series, a stage that has eluded the program for nearly two decades.
For head coach Beverly Smith, the victory was a culmination of years of building, recruiting, and instilling a culture of belief. In her postgame comments, Smith praised her team’s focus and execution, noting that the Gamecocks had approached the contest like professionals and rose to the occasion.
“We talked all week about staying within ourselves, about not trying to do too much,” Smith said. “This is a veteran group. They’ve been through the battles. They’ve grown up together in this program, and tonight they showed what South Carolina softball is all about—grit, power, and precision.”
Indeed, grit was on full display. From Vawter’s command in the circle to Sellers’ clutch hitting, from Boyd’s smart small ball to Blampied’s leadership behind the plate, this was a team effort in every sense. And it was precisely the kind of performance that gives a program like South Carolina the confidence it needs to take the next step.
As for UCLA, the loss stings—not just because of the score, but because of how thoroughly they were outplayed. The Bruins will need to regroup quickly and find answers before Game Two if they hope to extend their season. While Brady’s solo shot was a bright spot, the rest of the lineup was largely silenced, and the Bruins’ pitching staff struggled to keep the Gamecocks from barreling up the ball.
