Super Start for South Carolina: Gamecocks Shock No. 6 UCLA with Dominant Upset Win in NCAA Softball Series Opener

South Carolina came into the NCAA Tournament as an underdog, but on Friday night at Easton Stadium, the Gamecocks played with the confidence of a championship contender. In a stunning series opener against No. 6 national seed UCLA, the unseeded Gamecocks delivered a powerful performance to secure a 5-1 upset win in the Los Angeles Super Regional, announcing their arrival on the national stage with authority.

From the first pitch, South Carolina looked poised, focused, and hungry. The Gamecocks, who had survived a grueling regional that included a nail-biting win over Charlotte and a decisive victory against No. 11 seed Duke, were undeterred by the Bruins’ prestige and home-field advantage. Instead, they fed off the pressure and silenced a typically rowdy UCLA crowd with a combination of timely hitting, elite pitching, and defensive execution.

Starting pitcher Alana Vawter, a graduate transfer from Stanford, was the heart of South Carolina’s effort. Facing a Bruins lineup loaded with power and postseason experience, Vawter was masterful. The veteran right-hander worked the corners, mixed her speeds, and kept UCLA hitters off balance all night. She scattered five hits over seven innings, struck out four, and walked just one — a performance that underscored why she was brought in as a difference-maker for this very moment.

But it wasn’t just Vawter’s arm that told the story. South Carolina’s offense came out aggressive and fearless against UCLA ace Megan Faraimo, who had pitched the Bruins to last year’s Women’s College World Series and carried a 1.83 ERA entering the night. The Gamecocks chased her after just three innings, tagging her for four runs — two earned — on five hits.

In the top of the second inning, South Carolina broke the deadlock. Freshman infielder Riley Blampied drew a walk, and after a sacrifice bunt moved her into scoring position, outfielder Marissa Gonzalez lined a single into center field to give the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead. It was a simple but crucial moment — a patient at-bat, smart baserunning, and a clutch hit to strike first.

UCLA answered in the bottom of the third with a solo home run by Maya Brady — the Pac-12 Player of the Year and one of the most feared hitters in the country. Brady turned on a 1-0 pitch and sent it over the right field fence to tie the game at 1-1. It felt like the moment the Bruins would seize momentum.

Instead, South Carolina responded immediately and emphatically. The top of the fourth was the turning point. After a leadoff walk and a single by catcher Giulia Desiderio, the Gamecocks capitalized on a UCLA error to load the bases with no outs. Facing a jam, Bruins head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez turned to the bullpen, but the damage was already brewing.

Senior infielder Brooke Blankenship then delivered the hit of the night — a bases-clearing double into the left-center field gap that brought home three runs. As the South Carolina dugout exploded in celebration, the Gamecocks held a commanding 4-1 lead and never looked back.

From that point forward, it was all about execution and composure. Vawter calmly worked through the Bruins’ lineup, retiring nine of the next ten batters she faced after giving up the Brady homer. The South Carolina defense backed her up with clean fielding, including a highlight-reel diving catch by Gonzalez in the fifth that robbed a potential leadoff double and deflated the UCLA crowd once again.

In the top of the sixth, the Gamecocks added an insurance run thanks to the bat of Jordan Fabian, who doubled off the wall and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Blampied. The 5-1 lead gave Vawter all the cushion she needed to finish the job, and she did so in style — inducing a groundout from Brady to end the game and clinch the Gamecocks’ biggest win of the season.

The victory was South Carolina’s first-ever win in a Super Regional game and puts them just one win away from their first Women’s College World Series appearance since 2007. For head coach Bev Smith, who’s led the program for more than a decade, the win was validation of years of building, recruiting, and steady improvement.

“This team just believes,” Smith said after the game. “They believe in themselves, they believe in each other, and they’re not intimidated by the name on the other jersey. We’ve faced adversity all season, and tonight we showed we belong.”

Indeed, the Gamecocks have taken a circuitous path to get to this moment. They finished middle-of-the-pack in the loaded SEC and entered the NCAA Tournament as a team many overlooked. But throughout May, South Carolina has caught fire at the right time. With Vawter anchoring the pitching staff, timely hitting up and down the order, and a defense that refuses to crack under pressure, the Gamecocks are now just one win from Oklahoma City.

Meanwhile, the pressure shifts dramatically to UCLA. The Bruins, one of the sport’s perennial powers with 12 national championships and a reputation for postseason dominance, are suddenly on the brink of elimination. Friday’s loss was only their second at home all season and marked the first time in over a decade they’ve lost a Super Regional opener at Easton Stadium.

Coach Inouye-Perez acknowledged the shock but remained defiant.

“We didn’t play our best softball tonight, and South Carolina did,” she said. “But this series isn’t over. We’ve got the heart of a champion in that locker room, and we’ll be ready to fight tomorrow.”

For UCLA to force a Game 3, they’ll need better production from their lineup beyond Brady, who accounted for two of the Bruins’ five hits. The middle of the order struggled to adjust to Vawter’s rhythm, and South Carolina’s defensive shifts neutralized UCLA’s short game and speed on the bases.

South Carolina, on the other hand, will look to maintain the same fearless approach that has fueled their postseason run. They’ve now won five of their last six tournament games and are playing with house money — and supreme confidence.

“We’re not done,” Vawter said. “This was a big win, but it’s just one. We’ve got to come back tomorrow and play even better because UCLA’s going to come at us hard. But we’re ready. We know who we are.”

It’s a message the entire softball world is starting to understand. South Carolina is no longer just a scrappy underdog — they’re a team with a clear identity, strong leadership, and the belief that they can beat anyone, anywhere.

If they can replicate Friday night’s magic one more time, the Gamecocks will be booking their tickets to the Women’s College World Series and cementing one of the most memorable postseason runs in program history.

Game 2 of the Super Regional is set for Saturday evening, and all eyes will be on how the Bruins respond to adversity and whether the Gamecocks can continue their remarkable run. For now, South Carolina is riding high after a super start in the series — and their sights are firmly set on Oklahoma City.