April 5, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (28-9) used a four-RBI night from senior All-American Alaynie Page to grab a 7-5 win over UNCW on Tuesday evening at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
After the Seahawks took a 3-0 lead in the third on Ashley Best’s homer to left center, the Gamecocks responded with a two-out rally. Sophomore third baseman Kamryn Watts tallied an infield single, and Page followed with a blast over the wall in right center for a two-run homer, cutting UNCW’s lead to 3-2.
The Gamecocks tied the game in the fourth on a bad throw, allowing junior pinch runner Jordyn Augustus to score after junior Taylor Williams’ hit. A walk loaded the bases for junior Macey Webb, who was hit by the 0-1 pitch to force home the go-ahead run. Page came up next and knocked the 3-0 pitch back up the middle, plating two in the four-run inning. South Carolina added one more run in the fifth on sophomore Krystan White’s sacrifice fly.
UNCW made things interesting in the sixth, as two runs scored on a strike-three wild pitch, the second on a Gamecock error. With the tying run on base, Gamecock junior Jessica Elliott (15-2) got a fly ball to right that freshman Kennedy Clark streaked back and caught on the run to end the frame. The tying run came to the plate twice in the seventh after Hannah Adamczyk was hit by a pitch with one down, but Elliott got a fly ball to left and a strikeout to end the game.
Elliott went the distance in the win, scattering six hits and two walks while giving up six runs, five earned. She struck out a career-best eight. Seahawk reliever Peyton Jordan took the loss, allowing four earned runs on three hits and a walk in 0.2 innings of work.
Game Changer:
Page’s big at-bats paid dividends, with her home run bringing life to the Gamecocks’ lineup.
Key Stat:
With 29 batters coming to the plate, South Carolina did not strike out once on the night.
Notables:
• Page’s 2-for-4 day pushes her past Debralee Troesh (2000-03) into 11th on South Carolina’s career hits list.
• Junior first baseman Kaylea Snaer went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, tying Ashlyn Masters for second on the single-season doubles list with 19 on the year. It’s Snaer’s fourth two-double game of 2016.
• Snaer is now tied with Sondra Hall (1997-2000) for 12th on the all-time SC two-bagger charts, now with 35 in her Gamecock career.
• Best went 2-for-4 with the home run and three RBI to lead the Seahawks.
• For the second time this season, South Carolina’s batters did not strike out.
Tweet of the Game:
Alaynie Page’s SECOND clutch hit of the night; driving in two @GamecockSoftbll pic.twitter.com/JUul9W6f3l
— sarah jaynes (@sejaynes) April 5, 2016
Quotable:
Head coach Beverly Smith
It was another good answer back by our team. It’s important to us that if we get punched in the mouth, we always want to answer back. Alaynie Page certainly came on and made her presence known tonight with those four RBI.
When we answered back, it was with two outs. Kamryn Watts did a good job getting on, and Page followed with the home run. We usually go as (Page) goes. She set the tone for us the second time through the lineup.
Senior centerfielder Alaynie Page
My first at-bat, I was aggressive, but I didn’t get a pitch that was very good. As soon as I swung, I said I was going to get a good pitch that I could handle in my next at-bat. My adjustment was to get a pitch higher in the zone.
On the team’s resilience
We’re able to not worry about the score. We’re confident that our offense can produce runs. We just had to make the adjustments.
Up Next:
The Gamecocks return to SEC action this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark., with a three-game set against the Razorbacks. First pitch for the series is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday’s contests both set to begin at 2 p.m. EDT. All three games will be carried on the SEC Network + on Watch ESPN.
