March 29, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (20-12, 3-7 SEC) exploded for six runs in the fourth and never looked back, downing Mississippi 9-5 in Saturday’s first game at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
Senior right fielder Ashlyn Masters drew a bases-loaded walk with one out. A ground out brought up freshman offensive player Victoria Williams, but the Rebel shortstop throw was wild, letting two runs cross to make it 5-4. Freshman first baseman Kaylea Snaer walked to load the bases again, and senior second baseman Dana Hathorn got hit for the 40th time in her career, forcing in the tying run. Junior catcher Sarah Mooney followed with a liner to right to score two more, making it 7-5.
A sacrifice fly from Alyssa Invergo gave the Rebels a 1-0 lead in the first after they loaded the bases with one out. They did the same in the third, and the Gamecocks took the lead runner on Invergo’s grounder at the plate for the second out of the inning. This time, Madi Osias drove the first pitch she saw over the wall in left center to hand Mississippi the 5-0 advantage.
South Carolina cut the lead in the bottom of the third on Masters’ third homer of the season. Williams and Snaer both reached with two outs, but Rebel starting pitcher Carly Hummel induced a fly ball to escape the inning with the four-run lead.
The Gamecocks added runs in the fifth and sixth. Masters struck again with a single up the middle, scoring sophomore left fielder Alaynie Page after she drew a one-out walk and moved to second on an illegal pitch. Hathorn posted her second RBI of the game in the sixth, lining the ball off the Rebel second baseman’s glove in the sixth to score Snaer from third.
Redshirt junior Julie Sarratt (9-7) picked up the win with her four innings of work, giving up five earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Freshman Nickie Blue picked up her fourth save with three innings of relief, fanning four and giving up one hit. Hummel (8-7) took the loss, allowing eight runs, three earned, on six hits and six walks while striking out two in 4.1 innings.
Masters went 3-for-3 with a homer, two runs and three RBI, while Mooney went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Snaer had a double, two runs and two walks, while Page walked and scored twice. Hathorn drove in two in a 1-for-3 day, and Williams went 2-for-4 as well. Osias hit the grand slam to lead four Rebels with hits.
