Oct. 11, 2011

by Koby Padgett
Assistant Media Relations Director

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team picked up two wins on Sunday, downing Gardner-Webb 9-4 in eight innings before beating Winthrop 5-3 in Rock Hill.

The Gamecocks exploded with two outs in the eighth to post six runs to beat Gardner-Webb. A trio of Gamecocks, Chelsea Hawkins, Evan Childs and Olivia Lawrence (?) had RBI singles ahead of Kristen Struett’s big hit, a bases-clearing double. South Carolina took a 3-2 lead in the sixth thanks to Kaitlin Westfall’s double and her later run on a sacrifice fly. Gardner-Webb tied the contest in the seventh on a passed ball. The Bulldogs scored again in the eighth, pushing home the lead runner placed on by the international tiebreaker rule. Struett ended the day 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles.

South Carolina kept the offense going in game two, posting four runs in the third. Westfall started the scoring with a two-run blast, scoring Hannah Milks, while Childs doubled home Shelby Gonzales and Hawkins with two down in the frame. Childs drove in Hawkins again in the fifth with a single to right. The Eagles got a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

Head coach Beverly Smith mentioned some good defensive plays from shortstop Samie Garcia and a solid relief appearance from Kierstyn White as other highlights from the day’s action. Westfall led the Gamecocks offensively, going 5-for-8 with a double, a homer and four RBI.

The Gamecocks close their fall competitions at home this weekend, hosting Presbyterian on Friday night at 7 p.m, and Appalachian State in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.