May 6, 2006
Gainesville, Fla. – Melissa Zick hit a walk-off double in the seventh inning to give the Florida Gators a 3-2 victory over South Carolina in the second game of their doubleheader on Saturday. The win improved the Gators to 40-22 overall and 16-13 in the SEC, while the Gamecocks dropped to 28-29 overall and 8-20 in league play.
Ashley Smith singled to centerfield to score Jessica Josker to give the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead in the first. The Gators managed to even up the score in the third inning, when Melissa Zick grounded out to the second basemen scoring Kim Waleszonia.
South Carolina regained the lead in the fourth inning, when Christie Hamilton doubled to right field in the fourth and scored on a single to right field by Jacqueline Wetherbee. Lauren Roussell led off the sixth with a double to left center for the Gators. Lacy Howard doubled down the right field line to score pinch runner Alicia Spack to even the score up at two.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lindsey Cameron led off with a single to right field and advanced to second on Lauren Roussell’s single to left. Zick then followed up with a walk-off double to right field, scoring Cameron to give the Gators a 3-2 victory.
The Gamecocks were out-hit by the Gators 11 to 5 in the second game. Wetherbee picked up two of the five hits, while Josker, Smith, and Hamilton added one each. Stacey Nelson picked up the win for the Gators, improving her record to 13-12 on the season. Senior Melanie Henkes absorbed the loss in relief, dropping her mark to 5-3 on the season.
The Gators and Gamecocks will play the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the UF Softball Stadium. The Gamecocks trail Ole Miss by a half game for the final spot in the 2006 SEC Tournament. Ole Miss plays Auburn on Sunday starting at 2 p.m..
