March 6, 2010
| Coach Compton |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A stellar game from sophomore Kelsey Goodwin ended in heartbreak as seventh-ranked Michigan (12-4) used a double steal in the seventh to take a 1-0 win over South Carolina (8-8) in the first game of Saturday’s action at the Easton SEC/Midwest Challenge at Alabama Softball Stadium.
The Wolverines got the first two runners on in the seventh via Angela Findlay’s single and Maggie Viafhaus’ walk. Clean-up hitter Roya St. Clair sacrificed the pair into scoring position for Dorian Shaw, who hit a sharp grounder to short. Findlay broke for the plate on contact, and senior Lindsay Walker immediately went home and got her, putting runners at first and third with two down. Shaw started to second on the 1-1 pitch, and the Gamecocks threw down. Walker gloved the throw on the first-base side of the bag, colliding with Shaw, which kept Walker from making the throw to take out the lead runner.
South Carolina left five runners on base, one in each of the first five innings, while also lining into two double plays. The backbreaker came in the seventh, as freshman Briana Hamilton got her second hit of the day. Senior Adele Voigt followed and hit the ball sharply toward the left-field line, but the third baseman Viefhaus caught the liner and threw behind Hamilton to double her off first to end the contest.
Michigan pitcher Nikki Nemitz (4-3) tossed the five-hit shutout, fanning six while walking just one. Goodwin (0-4) got another tough-luck loss, as she struck out four while allowing just two hits and one walk to go with the one earned run.
The Gamecocks wrap up Saturday’s action at 6:15 p.m. against DePaul. Follow the action via Gametracker or on Gamecocks All-Access.
