The Kentucky softball team returns to Southeastern Conference action this weekend, facing the 18th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C. The three-game series will begin Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and the final contest between the SEC East foes will start also start at 1p.m. Sunday.

The Cats improved to 18-18-1 (4-14 SEC) this week after sweeping Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday. UK outscored the Colonels 18-2 in the span while pounding out 25 hits on the evening. Three players from UK registered at least three hits against the intrastate rival, led by Rachel Friberg?s 5-for-7 performance at the plate. Jessica Nance and Amber Janneck also had four and three hits, respectively, as each hit a home run. Janneck is currently tied for second in the conference with nine homers.

USC (17-11, 6-9 SEC) was swept by No. 13 Tennessee in a mid-week SEC series. The Gamecocks have lost six straight in the conference after falling in three games at the hands of No. 22 Auburn last weekend in Columbia. USC is led by Nancy Crane, who is hitting .354 through 28 games.

Live stats for all three games can be found on the front page of ukathletics.com.