Feb. 25, 2005
Columbus, Ga. – South Carolina softball fell to 9-7 on the year as the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines (9-1) posted a five-run fourth over the Gamecocks to solidify a 9-3 win at the Leadoff Classic Friday. Jessica Josker and Lisa Longo both went 2-for-4 and accounted for four of USC’s six hits in the game.
Kate Pouliot (0-2) pitched seven innings and gave up nine runs on 11 hits and struck out five. Nicole Motycka earned the victory for Michigan.
Michigan had a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the third before South Carolina got on the board. Whitney Wierzbicki, Josker, Longo and Meghan Cornett connected on four straight hits that set the stage for USC to score two runs. Wierzbicki bunted to reach base safely then Josker followed with a single to left field. Longo then got things started with a one-out single to right field to drive home Wierzbicki from second. Cornett added the second run with her RBI single to score Josker and cut Michigan’s lead to two. Hughes then reached on a fielder’s choice but Longo was thrown out at third and with the tying run at first, the Gamecocks were stranded when pinch hitter Kristin Hall grounded to second for the third out. The four hits the Gamecocks recorded in that inning were the most they had all game.
Michigan answered back in the fifth when they scored five runs to go up 9-2. After two Gamecock errors, Samantha Findlay hit an RBI single and Alessandra Giampaolo scored on a sacrifice by Motycka. Up 6-2, Grace Leutele hit a two-run home run and pinch hitter Lauren Holland immediately followed with a solo shot off of Pouliot to extend the lead.
In the seventh, Michigan had a chance to add more runs as they had runners at second and third with one out, but Pouilot and a great diving catch by Wierzbicki in centerfield, recorded the final two outs and prevented any more runs from scoring.
USC continued to fight in the seventh inning. With two outs, Josker reached base on an error by Haas and scored all the way from first on a double by Longo, cutting the Wolverines lead to six. That would be all USC would get across as Cornett grounded out for the final out to end the game.
The Gamecocks face No. 15 Georgia Tech Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for the final round of pool play. Bracket play will begin at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and seeds will be determined after the 12:30 games.
Team 123 456 7 R H E
MICH 103 500 0 9 11 1
USC 000 000 0 3 6 3
WP: Motycka
LP: Pouliot (0-2)
