On February 6, 2025, the South Carolina Gamecocks softball team secured a thrilling 7–6 walk-off victory over the Virginia Cavaliers in their season opener at Carolina Softball Stadium. This game marked the debut of head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, who earned her first win with the team.
Game Highlights:
• Early Deficit: Virginia took an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning and extending their advantage to 6–2 by the sixth inning.
• Seventh-Inning Rally: Trailing by four runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Gamecocks mounted a comeback. They loaded the bases and capitalized on a combination of walks and timely hitting to tie the game at 6–6.
• Walk-Off Victory: With the game tied and runners on base, a ground ball back to first base led to a throwing error at the plate, allowing the Gamecocks to score the winning run.
• Pitching Performance: Jori Heard earned the win for South Carolina, while Virginia’s Eden Bigham took the loss.
This victory marked head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard’s first win with the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks are set to face Virginia again on February 7 at 2:30 PM, followed by a game against Providence on February 8 at 3:30 PM, as part of the Gamecock Invitational.