March 8, 2008
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| Box Score |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina struck first, but Arkansas fought back with a three-run fourth to give the Lady Razorbacks a 3-2 victory to split the doubleheader on the first day of the Southeastern Conference softball season. Arkansas moves to 19-5 on the year, while the Gamecocks fall to 12-9.
The Lady’Backs got three runs in the fourth when Sandra Smith sent a 1-2 pitch soaring over the wall in left. Jessica Bachkora and Miranda Dixon both scored after getting singles earlier in the inning. That would be Arkansas’ only real threat, as they left just two runners on base.
Carolina got out to a 1-0 lead in the first when senior Jessica Josker lined a double to left center, scoring freshman Laura Mendes, who reached on a one-out double. For Josker, that was her first extra-base hit of the season.
After Arkansas scored in the fourth, the Gamecocks tried to fight back in the fifth. Senior centerfielder Whitney Wierzbicki started a two-out rally with a single. Junior Ashton Payne followed with a solid hit to center, continuing her hitting streak to a personal-best 16 games. Mendes came up and struck out, but the catcher dropped the ball. Mendes sprinted to first, and Lady’Back receiver Whitney Cloer hit Mendes with her throw down to first. Wierzbicki quickly rounded third and scored, while Payne snuck into second just ahead of right fielder Jocelyne Moncreif’s throw. A walk to freshman Jill Semento loaded the bases, but Dixon, the starter for Arkansas, got Josker to pop out to end the threat.
Redshirt freshman Krystle Robinson (5-4) picked up the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out 7. Dixon (7-2) got the win, going the distance while allowing four hits, a walk and two earned runs. She struck out 10.
The rubber game of the three-game SEC-opening series is slated for a 1 p.m. start on Sun., March 9 at Beckham Field.
