March 26, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (24-12) swept a doubleheader from North Florida (21-15), taking game two by a 5-2 tally on Thursday evening at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
Gamecock redshirt senior Julie Sarratt (12-7), tossing her third complete game in the last two days, picked up the victory, striking out seven while giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks.
The Gamecocks jumped on the board in the first thanks to redshirt sophomore Lauren Masters’ RBI single and sophomore Kaylea Snaer’s sacrifice fly. The lead grew to 3-0 when sophomore Taylor Williams scored on freshman Krystan White’s fielder’s choice.
North Florida cut the lead to one on Shelby Duncan’s two-run home run that hit off the bottom of the foul pole in right. South Carolina quickly got the lead back to two on sophomore Victoria Williams’ third homer of the year, an opposite field blast with two down in the third.
South Carolina added one more insurance run in the sixth after the Ospreys’ threw away a ball into right field trying to complete a double play with the bases loaded, allowing junior Jordan Bizzell to score.
UNF starter Kayla Goff (10-5) took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits and a walk. She struck out four.
Game Changer:
Masters’ hustle in the first set the tone, as she took second on the throw on her RBI single and stole third with a nifty slide around the tag to set up the sacrifice fly for South Carolina’s second run.
Key Stat:
Sarratt’s 67-pitch outing in game one helped her last in the second game, and she racked up seven strikeouts, one shy of her season best, in the nightcap.
Notables:
• Taylor Williams had the only Gamecock double, while Victoria Williams hit the lone SC homer.
• Junior left fielder Alaynie Page went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, joining the Williams’ and three others with hits.
• Sarratt moved into 12th alone on South Carolina’s career complete-games charts, now with 35 to her record.
• Page now ranks fifth in South Carolina’s SEC era in putouts for an outfielder with 221.
• The second-inning intentional walk to Page ties her for 12th all-time at South Carolina with Laura Mendes (2008-11)
Up Next:
The Gamecocks are off this weekend, with their return to action set for Tuesday, March 31 at UNC Wilmington for a single game starting at 5 p.m.
