March 18, 2015
ROCK HILL, S.C. – South Carolina (21-9) came back to take a 3-2 win at Winthrop (11-14) on Wednesday evening at Terry Field.
A Winthrop error allowed the go-ahead run to score for the Gamecocks in the fifth. Junior Jordan Bizzell started the inning being hit by a pitch. She stole second and took third on a wild pitch, and an errant throw allowed Bizzell to score to make it 3-2. In the fourth, sophomore third baseman Taylor Williams drove the first pitch of her at-bat over the wall in the left-field corner to tie the game at 2-2.
The Eagles started the scoring with Haley Zuehlke’s one-out homer to left in the second. The Gamecocks tied it in the third on sophomore first baseman Kaylea Snaer’s two-out RBI single, but Winthrop regained the lead in the bottom of the third when the Gamecocks kicked a two-out ball on the infield, allowing Paige Haley to score.
Gamecock sophomore Nickie Blue (12-4) went the distance in the win, giving up two runs, one earned on five hits and three walks whiel fanning nine. Sara Allen (6-5) took the loss in relief, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing an unearned run on one hit and two walks. She struck out two.
Game Changer:
Bizzell’s base-running put the go-ahead run on third with no one outs, and the Eagles let her score on an error.
Key Stat:
Bizzell scored two of the Gamecocks’ runs and stole two bases, matching her career best, in a 1-for-2 night.
Notables:
• Junior left fielder Alaynie Page went 2-for-4 with two singles and a stolen base.
• Gamecocks Krystan White and Ansley Ard both hit doubles, while Williams had a homer.
• Winthrop’s Haley went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Up Next:
South Carolina takes on No. 23/23 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas this weekend. Friday’s first pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT, with coverage on the SEC Network +. The two teams play on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, on the SEC Network.
