Mackenzie Boesel Breaks School Home Run Record On Saturday
Carolina drops two games ahead of SEC Tournament on Tuesday
LEXINGTON, KY. —- South Carolina softball’s Mackenzie Boesel broke the school record for career home runs with a solo shot in the top of the fifth in the second game of a doubleheader to close out the series against No. 18 Kentucky on Saturday at John Cropp Stadium. The Wildcats took the first game, 6-3, before closing out the series with a 3-2 walk-off victory.
The home run was Boesel’s 34th of her career as she surpassed Alaynie Page, who previously held the record off 33 since 2016.
South Carolina will now travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., tomorrow afternoon in advance of the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament. While Carolina’s opponent is not yet known, it will play Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
SOUTH CAROLINA 3 | KENTUCKY 6 – RECAP
Kenzi Maguire’s three-run home run in the top of the fourth wasn’t enough as No. 18 Kentucky sealed the series with a 6-3 win in the first game of the day against South Carolina softball. The Wildcat deficit was cut to 4-3 with Maguire’s third home run of the season before they pushed across two more runs in the bottom frame to help secure the win.
Cayla Drotar (3-7) took the loss in the circle in 1.0 inning of work with four runs on four hits.
Maguire posted her second-straight multi-hit performance with a 2-for-4 game. She’s recorded two or more hits in four of her past seven games and finished with at least one hit in 17 of her past 22 games (77 percent).
Mackenzie Boesel, Kassidy Krupit, Jordan Fabian, Katie Prebble and Kylee Gleason rounded out the nine Carolina hits. This marked the first time in her career Gleason posted back-to-back multi-hit performances.
Grace Baalman (9-3) earned the victory on her senior day. She went 4.0 innings with three runs allowed on seven hits.
South Carolina 2 | Kentucky 3 – Recap
The Gamecocks tied the Gamecocks tied the game in the top of the seventh before Kentucky earned the 3-2 walk-off win in the series finale.
Kenzi Maguire’s fielder’s choice with one out and runners on the corners allowed Riley Blampied to score from third tied the game at 2-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh. Kentucky later advanced a runner to third in the bottom frame before Carolina forced extra innings.
The Wildcats later earned the walk-off victory with a one out, solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.
Mackenzie Boesel posted a 3-for-4 performance. The three hits tied a single-game high for her career while Sunday was the 16th time she had done so. Her record-breaking home run in the top of the fifth to cut the Kentucky lead to 2-1 was her sixth of the season.
Kassidy Krupit, Katie Prebble and Carlie Henderson rounded out the other seven Carolina hits.
