COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – Attempts to reach a compromise on a hotly watched and controversial bill at the State House fell short this week. 

 Senators have been debating their tort reform legislation for the last two weeks – and the bill saw no action or movement this week before the Senate called it quits Thursday afternoon. 

The legislation involves determining who’s at fault in lawsuits and how much plaintiffs are due. 

It would have wide-reaching impacts. 

Supporters include some of the top leaders in the Senate and the governor, while trial lawyers across the state staunchly oppose the bill. 

A small group of senators had been hashing out an agreement this week.  

They say just when they thought they had an agreement this afternoon, people started backing out. 

They’ve now gone home for the week and will return to Columbia on Tuesday. 

 “I think Tuesday’s D-Day, so we’re going to do something on Tuesday. We’re either going to have an agreement that we can present, or we’re going to start taking up amendments and be here for a while. So, we need to resolve this issue and then go on to the next thing,” said State Senator Shane Massey. 

 The bill would make changes affecting bars and restaurants’ liquor liability insurance, medical malpractice and auto insurance, as well as how fault is divvied up in civil lawsuits. 

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

This week on Carolina Calls, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley had plenty to talk about with host Brad Muller. One topic of conversation was the Gamecocks’ pursuit of new all-time attendance records.

South Carolina has led the country in attendance annually since 2014-2015 (A’ja Wilson’s first year as a Gamecock).* They also now own the all-time records for total attendance and average attendance, both set during the undefeated 2023-2024 national championship season. USC could break those records this March.

*Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, attendance figures from the 2020-2021 campaign are unofficial.*

Staley believes the record falling is a foregone conclusion, calling it “easy” for fans as dedicated as the FAMs. She added, “If you challenge the FAMs, they’ll come through.”

Keep up with all things Gamecocks for just $1 for 7 days—lock in this special offer today!

The overall attendance record of just over 273,000 will fall if Colonial Life Arena draws 18,000 more fans next week. South Carolina will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, and, assuming a victory over a likely 16-seed in the opener, the Gamecocks should expect to hit that number, though, the Big Dance doesn’t always sell out thanks to uncertain schedules and increased ticket prices.

The NCAA Tournament’s second round would mark USC’s 17th game of the 2024-2025 season. That number matches the total contests played in last year’s record-setting season. That means, if Carolina can surpass 273,133 total fans for the year, they also will best their own previous record for average attendance.

When exactly South Carolina will play (and, therefore, when fans should buy tickets) isn’t known yet. Fans can tune in to watch the Selection Sunday show at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 16th on ESPN. The ESPN app also will stream the show.

Run-of-the-mill on the scoreboard, but not the box score.

South Carolina baseball beat Georgia State 7-1 at Founders Park in its final game before SEC play, a normal score with the regular game flow many midweeks follow.

But between starting catcher Talmadge LeCroy departing after just four innings and regular Friday starter Matthew Becker pitching an inning of relief, the in-game changes carried far more intrigue than the actual result.

While Paul Mainieri confirmed post-game that LeCroy giving way to Max Kaufer was just to keep Kaufer sharp before the weekend, Becker’s outing had a touch of mystery involved. Maineiri alluded to Becker still being available this weekend, but did not reveal anything when asked if the starting rotation would remain the same as the last two weekends.

“I’ll be announcing the rotation tomorrow morning,” Mainieri said.

Becker, who has allowed eight earned runs in just five total innings over the last two Fridays, jogged in out of the bullpen for the first time this season with a 7-1 lead in tow. He navigated an uneventful sixth inning and gave way to Ryder Garino after just 11 pitches.

It was a short appearance with a specific focus, but just his presence in the game was enough to spark questions heading into the weekend.

“I thought he looked great,” Mainieri said. “[Pitching coach] Terry [Rooney] was really trying to get him to land that curveball, and he was barely missing and the guy was laying off some tough ones. I couldn’t tell from the side; maybe they were off the plate too much for the guy to swing. It wasn’t really the way we would pitch typically, but we were just trying to get him to throw that curveball. But I thought he threw good.”

As for the pitcher Becker took over for, Jarvis Evans Jr. delivered another solid outing. He followed up his seven innings of one-run ball in Charleston last Wednesday with another five innings and just one run allowed against the Panthers, only giving up a solo home run to Georgia State (12-6) catcher Colin Hynek in the second inning.

“It’s kind of just the same thing every single outing,” Evans said. “Coach Rooney is really big on competitive strike throwers, so that’s just what I’m trying to be. Just trying to fill the zone up, get ahead and let my offspeed take care of itself.”

South Carolina (15-3) did most of its damage offensively in a six-run third-inning. Productive outs by Ethan Petry and Kennedy Jones — a sacrifice fly and RBI groundout respectively — knocked in the first two runs after lead-off singles by Nathan Hall and Evan Stone plus a wild pitch, but cleared the bases with two outs.

The next six Gamecocks reached on two walks and an infield single, loading the bases for Jordan Carrion.

The second baseman ripped a three-run double off the top of the wall in right field, clearing the bases and boosting his season RBI total to seven. Escorting LeCroy home from first base? Mainieri himself, firing up the windmill and running with him down the third base line as acting third base coach with Monte Lee away from the team on a recruiting trip.

“It’s been years since I’ve waved a guy in on a close play,” Mainieri joked. “I forgot how thrilling that is. You’re like making deals with God for him to be safe.”

A Hall RBI single capped off the inning, and he tacked on an RBI double in the fifth as the scorching hot lead-off hitter reached base four more times and added three hits to extend his team-high tally to 27.

After a fairly routine win to cap off a non-conference slate that was equally comfortable outside the Clemson series, here comes the ultimate test. The SEC schedule, 30 games across 10 weekends starting on Friday with No. 12 Oklahoma coming to Founders Park.

“I’ve always described the SEC baseball conference as the major leagues of college baseball,” Mainieri said. “The reason I say that is the bottom dwellers in the major leagues are still filled with major league caliber players. And everyone in the SEC is filled with SEC-caliber players. If you don’t bring your A-game, you can get beat every single game.”

The biggest series of the season so far, with a suddenly unavoidable question mark hanging over it regarding who will throw the first pitch Friday night.

*******************************************************************************************

Looking to continue the conversation? Join us on the insider’s forum to talk all things South Carolina baseball