Feb. 15, 2013
ORLANDO, Fla. – South Carolina (5-1) returned to the win column in Friday’s nightcap against Stetson (1-4), as the Gamecocks beat the Hatters 8-3 to close out the first day of the UCF Holiday Inn Select Tournament.
Sophomore designated player Kristen Struett led the Gamecocks with a 2-for-3 outing, hitting a three-run homer. Freshman left fielder Alaynie Page went 2-for-3 as well, scoring twice and driving in a run. Senior shortstop Samie Garcia tripled, tying for 14th on the Gamecock career list with the seventh for her career, and scored. The Hatters’ Chelsea Whalley went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer.
The Gamecocks posted three runs in the first, all with two outs. Sophomore right fielder Chelsea Hawkins drove in Page with a single over the Hatter first baseman’s head. After Struett drew a walk, redshirt sophomore first baseman Julie Sarratt posted a two-RBI single, scoring junior centerfielder Ashlyn Masters and Hawkins. That advantage grew to 4-0 after Page plated Garcia with a single after the senior posted her second triple of the year.
Stetson drew within one in the sixth when Whalley came up with two down and two on and hit the first pitch of the at bat off the top of the wall in left, and it bounced over for the homer that made it 4-3. South Carolina answered in the bottom of the frame, as Page scored on a wild pitch and Struett sent her second homer of the year over the left-field fence with two runners on base, making it 8-3.
Gamecock freshman Katie Marks (2-1) got the win, giving up three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five. Sophomore Katelynn Howser picked up her first save of the year with a spotless one and one-third innings, fanning one. Taylor Cochran (0-1) took the loss, giving up four earned runs on four walks and six hits in four innings.
South Carolina closes the second day of the UCF Holiday Inn Select Tournament with games against the host Knights and the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday evening.
