Feb. 22, 2008
TAMPA, Fla. – Junior Ashton Payne extended her hitting streak in a big way with a walk-off single to propel the Gamecocks to a 1-0 victory over Wisconsin in eight innings in Carolina’s final game of day one at the USF Louisville Slugger Tournament at the USF Softball Field. The Gamecocks move to 6-7 on the campaign, while the Badgers fall to 5-6.
Senior Chrissy Schoonmaker, placed on second for the international tiebreaker rule, moved to third on Adele Voigt’s sacrifice bunt. Payne, who was in danger of ending a seven-game hitting streak, came through with a single through the middle to plate Schoonmaker and end the contest.
Carolina had chances in the first, second and fourth. For the second straight game, the Garnet and Black loaded the bases in the first. With two outs, Lisa Longo got a single, and Jessica Josker and Laura Mendes both followed with walks. But Badger starter Letty Oliveras struck out Lindsay Walker to end the threat. In the second, freshman P.J. Fulmer laced a double, her first career hit, over the leftfielder’s head. Schoonmaker’s sacrifice moved pinch-runner Cagney Davis to third, where she would be stranded by a strikeout and a fly out. In the fourth, Mendes led off with a single and moved to second on Walker’s sacrifice. A line out and a fly out ended that threat without a Gamecock run.
Wisconsin had its best chance to score thwarted in the third. A one-out walk to Tara Hiteman preceded Joey Daniels reaching first on a hit by pitch. Both moved into scoring position thanks to a Krystle Robinson wild pitch. However, they would stay there, as Robinson struck out Karen Soderberg and snagged Alexis Garcia’s liner back up the middle to close the inning
Robinson (3-2) went all eight innings, allowing only two hits and three walks while sitting down six for her first career shutout. Oliveras (2-4) pitched 7.1 innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and an unearned run while punching out five.
The Gamecocks face Hofstra and the University of South Florida during day two of the USF Louisville Slugger Tournament on Saturday.
