March 20, 2011
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A strong battle by South Carolina (16-12, 3-7 SEC) forced extra innings before No. 23/24 Auburn (25-4, 6-2 SEC) came through to take a 3-2 win in nine innings on Sunday afternoon and sweep the weekend series from the Gamecocks.
With one down in the ninth, Auburn third baseman Kyndall White sent the first pitch she saw in the frame over the wall in left to end the contest. Auburn initially took the lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Hilary Mavromat and a sacrifice fly to center by Morgan Estell.
South Carolina came back to tie the game in the seventh. A leadoff double to left center by sophomore rightfielder Hannah Milks chased Auburn starter Angel Bunner, and freshman second baseman Dana Hathorn connected with a 3-1 pitch for her fourth double of the year, plating Milks. Junior leftfielder Kaitlin Westfall sacrificed Hathorn to third, putting her 60 feet from scoring with one out. Auburn reliever Jenee Loree got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but a wild pitch allowed Hathorn to tie the game at 2-2.
Gamecock freshman pitcher Julie Sarratt (4-4) went the distance in the loss, giving up three earned runs on 11 hits and four walks while fanning two in 8.1 innings. Bunner (7-1) took the win, giving up one earned run on four hits while striking out five in eight innings of combined work.
Hathorn went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Gamecocks offensively. Milks also doubled and scored a run in the contest. White went 3-for-5 with a double and the homer. Lauren Guzman was 2-for-4 with a double, while Kelsey Cartwright and Hilary Mavromat also went 2-for-4.
The contest was the Gamecocks’ first extra-inning game of the season.
The Gamecocks continue the road swing on Tuesday with a single game at Coastal Carolina. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. EDT at the CCU Softball Field.
