Gamecocks Fall in SEC Home Opener

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 9/9 South Carolina softball team (20-5, 0-4) fell 7-3 in its SEC Home Opener against No. 13/13 Georgia (21-4, 2-2) Friday night (Mar. 14).

The Gamecocks and Bulldogs each had seven hits in the game. Brooke Blankenship led Carolina at the dish going 2-for-3. Arianna Rodi extended her on-base streak to 20 games and hitting streak to 12 with a two-out single in the first inning.

The Bulldogs started off the scoring with four runs in the first two innings. Lexi Winters took matters into her own hand – or glove – when she caught a Bulldog trying to steal second base to end the top of the second inning. Her bat then put the Gamecocks on the board in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly to score Blankenship, who had led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Natalie Heath provided more power at the plate, hitting her fifth home run of the season with a solo shot to left field.

Georgia led off the fourth with a home run of its own and followed it up with an RBI single before adding another solo home run in the fifth.

South Carolina tried to stay alive in the bottom of the seventh. Karley Shelton hit a two-out single and Emma Sellers brought her home with a triple to the right-center gap, before the final out would be recorded to end the game.

Nealy Lamb (5-1) took the loss allowing one run in 1-3 of an inning.

The Gamecocks look to even the series tomorrow at 3 p.m.

For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.