South-Carolina

Why South Carolina softball, Ashley Chastain Woodard believed a super regional was possible

Published

7 months ago

May 19, 2025

Why South Carolina softball, Ashley Chastain Woodard believed a super regional was possible

COLUMBIA — It took a moment to sink in — then suddenly, celebrations erupted as an eighth run meant South Carolina softball advanced to a super regional for the first time since 2018.

First-year coach Ashley Chastain Woodard and the No. 8 seed Gamecocks (43-15) beat North Florida 8-0 in a run-ruled five-inning game on May 18, after beating the Ospreys 3-0 on May 17 and Elon 5-2 on May 16 in the Columbia Regional.

They will host either No. 9 seed UCLA (52-10) in a super regional at Carolina Softball Stadium. The Gamecocks are 34-5 at home.

South Carolina was voted to finish last in the SEC but now the Gamecocks are just two wins away from advancing to the Women’s College World Series, which would be the program’s first since 1997.

Chastain Woodard, who was a pitcher for the Gamecocks from 2009-11, was hired from Charlotte and brought six players with her, including star pitcher Sam Gress, infielder Ella Chancey and home-run leader Arianna Rodi. The 2025 roster is a hodgepodge of Gamecocks who stayed through the coaching change after last season, former 49ers and other transfers.

Sixth-year outfielder Abigail Knight, a transfer from Charlotte, said looking at the roster and the 2025 season, the Gamecocks had two choices.

“Either use this time as a rebuild and use this time to grow or we could go get it right away,” Knight said. “Nobody wanted to waste any time, just tip-toeing into the season, we wanted to go get it. There’s no time like the present.”

Chastain Woodard has set a program record for the most wins for a first-year coach.

“She’s the best that I’ve ever played behind,” Knight said. “What an honor it is to follow her into battle.”

Heading into the regional final, South Carolina had to win just one game against North Florida. The Gamecocks had a game-changing two-out rally in the fifth inning where they scored six runs. In the regional, 12 of the 16 runs scored by South Carolina came with two outs.

After the win on May 17, Chastain Woodard admitted that last summer she told her team a regional appearance was attainable for this group. Now, this next achievement isn’t a surprise either.

“I think anything is possible,” Chastain Woodard said. “I have a ton of belief in the players, in the ones who stayed and the ones who came in. I knew it was definitely possible … a top-8 seed, you look around at the conference, you look around at the game right now and man, that’s really hard to do … it’s special, these are moments and weeks you’ll never forget.”

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

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South-Carolina

South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for Dec. 18, 2025

Published

8 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for Dec. 18, 2025

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 18, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

Midday: 3-8-2, FB: 0

Evening: 1-0-6, FB: 8

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

Midday: 9-6-5-7, FB: 0

Evening: 7-9-1-5, FB: 8

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

Midday: 13

Evening: 09

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 18 drawing

13-19-23-32-35

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Shane Beamer offers latest on LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina football

Published

20 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Shane Beamer offers latest on LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina football

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer is embracing the new world of revenue sharing in college athletics, which means waiting for his star quarterback to work out a deal with the program before “officially” returning.

On Dec. 13, multiple reports said LaNorris Sellers is “finalizing a deal” to return to the Gamecocks in 2026 instead of forgoing eligibility to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

“We’ve had great conversations,” Beamer said Dec. 17 on 107.5 the game. “I think there are some details that need to be worked out and things like that. Let’s face it. Nowadays, these guys have agents and whatnot. So, there are a lot of different aspects of every player on our team that’s different than before.”

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Sellers has been linked to transfer portal rumors, especially after his breakout year in 2024 when the Gamecocks went 9-3. He was offered lucrative deals from other programs but returned for 2025.

“All indications I’ve had from LaNorris are, he wants to be here, and he knows that the job is not finished,” Beamer said. “There’s a lot of excitement about 2026. He and a lot of our other players that are returning feel that same way.”

Beamer made some significant changes after finishing at 4-8 with his worst record yet in the last five years. He fired three offensive coaches, including coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula and most recently hired Kendal Briles from TCU to fill his spot.

Briles was confident Sellers would return when asked Dec. 12.

Sellers was sacked 42 times this season, the second-most in the country. He finished with 2,437 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to go with just five rushing touchdowns and 270 rushing yards, a decrease in all four categories from 2024.

“My conversations with LaNorris have been fantastic,” Beamer said. “This isn’t just since the end of the season. This is regularly throughout the season, before the season ended and since the season has ended just in regards to how we get better and how he gets better as a quarterback. He will be the first to tell you, he needs to play better, and we have to coach him better. We have to be better around him, and we all have to be accountable, and he understands that.”

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬

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South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 17, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 17, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

25-33-53-62-66, Powerball: 17, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

Midday: 2-4-1, FB: 1

Evening: 9-0-3, FB: 8

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

Midday: 7-4-3-2, FB: 1

Evening: 6-8-8-9, FB: 8

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

Midday: 10

Evening: 15

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

04-13-19-23-37

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 17 drawing

24-43-65-66-68, Powerball: 03

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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