March 26, 2008
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – South Carolina fought hard against No. 3/4 Florida, but a walk-off home run by the Gators’ Ali Gardiner dropped the Gamecocks, 1-0, in game two of the doubleheader at Pressly Stadium. The victory moves Florida to 37-2 overall and 9-1 in Southeastern Conference play, while Carolina falls to 13-15, 2-7 in league play.
Gardiner broke the scoreless tie and ended the game in the seventh with a shot over the center field wall with one down in the frame. She had both of the Gator hits in the contest.
South Carolina had a golden opportunity in the seventh to put some runs on the board. Freshman catcher Cassie Gogreve led off the inning with a single. Kate Pouliot, pinch running for Gogreve, moved to second on a passed ball by UF reliever Stacey Nelson and took third on Adele Voigt’s sacrifice. Gamecock head coach Joyce Compton then played one of her trump cards, sending freshman Laura Mendes to pinch hit. The Loxahatchee, Fla., native fought for a walk, and senior Whitney Wierzbicki came back in to run. With runners at first and third, Nelson buckled down and struck out junior Ashton Payne and freshman pinch-hitter Jill Semento to quell the threat.
Carolina also had two runners stranded in both the second and the fifth innings.
Gamecock starter Melissa Hendon (5-8) got the tough-luck loss, allowing two hits and one earned run on the homer while striking out five in 6.1 innings. Nelson (23-2) picked up the win, striking out two while walking one in her one inning of relief work.
The Garnet and Black are on the road again this Saturday, as they face the Kentucky Wildcats in the doubleheader to start the three-game series in Lexington, Ky. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. EDT at the UK Softball Complex.
