Sept. 23, 2014

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – South Carolina, kicking off its fall exhibition season, split its two games at North Carolina, taking game two 10-4 after falling in eight innings in the first outing 3-2.

The Gamecocks, who fell behind 2-0 in the third of game one on an error and Erin Satterfield’s RBI single, got on the board in the fifth thanks to a pair of singles by junior Alaynie Page and senior Olivia Lawrence to start the frame, helping the Garnet and Black to take advantage of a wild pitch and an error later in the inning. It was a first-pitch shot by Lauren Walker that ended the first contest in favor of North Carolina.

Coming out with fire after the loss, the Gamecocks posted four on the board in the first, with doubles coming from Page and redshirt sophomore Lauren Masters in the frame. Sophomore Taylor Williams added a homer in the second, and Masters drove in a run in the third before North Carolina’s Walker hit her second homer of the day to put the Tar Heels on the board. Walks plagued the Gamecocks in the fourth, with four straight helping two UNC runs to cross to cut the lead to 6-3.

In the seventh, the Gamecocks put the game away with four more runs. Senior Sarah Mooney doubled home a run before Lawrence hit a sacrifice fly to score another. Sophomore Victoria Williams singled and later scored to make it 10-3. UNC added a run in the seventh, but it was too little, too late in the Gamecocks’ 10-4 win.

Redshirt senior Julie Sarratt tossed six innings combined and allowed only six hits and three runs, one earned, to go with four strikeouts to lead the pitching staff. Masters went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch in game two, while Mooney and Page added doubles and Williams the homer.

The Gamecocks continue fall play on Friday night at home against Charlotte. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field, and admission is free.