Feb. 8, 2008
BOCA RATON, Fla. – South Carolina’s rally in the top of the seventh came up a foot short, as host Florida Atlantic took a 2-1 victory over South Carolina in the final game on day one of the FAU Kick-Off Classic at the FAU Softball Stadium.
The Gamecocks, who hit pitcher Amber Benson most of the night, finally strung together three hits in the seventh. Senior Whitney Wierzbicki led off the inning with her second single of the game, but she was forced out on Ashton Payne’s grounder. After a Becky Martinez fly out, senior right fielder Jessica Josker ripped a single to center to bring up the go-ahead run in Lisa Longo, the hero against Florida Atlantic earlier in the day. A wild pitch moved Payne and Josker both into scoring position, and Longo looked to have tied the game up. Her sharp shot up the middle scored Payne easily, while Josker quickly rounded third and headed home. But FAU centerfielder Jessica Myers threw a strike to catcher Brittany Murphy, who blocked the plate well and kept Josker from scoring the tying run while tagging her out to end the contest.
The Owls staked out the 2-0 lead in the first inning. After a dropped foul ball extended Blair Bodenmiller’s at bat, she got another chance after swinging at a pitch that got away from Carolina freshman catcher Laura Mendes. After a steal of second and a sacrifice bunt that moved her to third, Bodenmiller beat Longo’s throw to the plate on Buchovic’s ground ball. After a bunt moved Buchovic to second, Becky Brandies brought her home with a hit.
Florida Atlantic threatened again in the second, as Jessica Myers got to second on a single and an error by Wierzbicki. But the Beaufort, S.C., outfielder made up for her miscue, throwing Myers out at the plate after a Bodenmiller single.
Carolina’s first real threat came in the fourth, when freshmen Mendes and Jill Semento both collected their first collegiate hits in the inning. But Benson got out of the jam with a strikeout of pinch hitter Jacqueline Wetherbee. The same scenario played out in the sixth, with Mendes and sophomore Lindsay Walker getting the hits this time. But Wetherbee again was unable to bring them home, this time popping up to the shortstop.
The Gamecocks left nine runners on base in the game, while the Owls just left four. Amber Benson got the win as she scattered 11 hits over seven innings, allowing one earned run while getting five strikeouts. Senior Melissa Hendon pitched well, striking out six while only allowing three hits and two unearned runs. Mendes, Josker and Wierzbicki all had two hits for Carolina in the game.
Carolina takes on UMass and No. 12 Michigan on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively, on day two of the FAU Kick-Off Classic.
