April 9, 2008
CONWAY, S.C. – Freshman Jill Semento capped South Carolina’s comeback effort with a seventh-inning grand slam to lead the Gamecocks to a 6-2 victory over in-state rival Coastal Carolina on Wednesday at the CCU Softball Field. The Garnet and Black move to 20-15 on the season, while the Chanticleers fall to 16-27.
The Gamecocks came back in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with no one out on a P.J. Fulmer double, a Jacqueline Wetherbee hit by pitch and an Ashton Payne single through the middle. After a fly out, freshman Laura Mendes put the 1-1 pitch through the left side to plate Fulmer and tie the game at 2-2. That brought Semento to the plate, who worked the count to 3-1 before driving the Ashley Pedersen pitch over the centerfield wall for her fourth home run of the season.
The Lady Chanticleers took the lead initially in the second when the pitcher Pedersen helped her own cause with a double to right center, scoring Kelsey Riffel, who had a one-out hit. Krystle Robinson got things back together from there, stranding Pedersen with a pop out and a fly out.
Mendes tied it at 1-1 in the fourth, reaching base on an error by second baseman Verity Long-Droppert. Semento moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice. Becky Martinez fought from two strikes down to draw the walk, setting up Jessica Josker. The senior guided the 0-1 pitch into left center, allowing Mendes to score to tie the game.
Coastal got the lead in the fifth on Angela Irwin’s solo blast to lead off the inning off Robinson. After a full-count walk to Mecaela Ballard, senior Kate Pouliot came on. She allowed Laicole Walker to reach via a bunt hit before hitting Brittany Birnbaum with a 2-2 pitch on her bunt attempt. With no one out, Pouliot got Long-Droppert to strike out before getting a grounder to the second baseman Payne, who threw home to force out Ballard. Pouliot escaped the jam when she struck out Riffel looking on a 3-2 pitch.
Pouliot (5-2) tossed three innings, allowing two hits while striking out five for the victory. Pedersen (6-8) allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits and two walks in the complete game. She struck out four.
The top four hitters in the Gamecock lineup, Payne, Lindsay Walker, Mendes and Semento all had hits. For Mendes, her RBI single extended her hitting streak to seven games.
South Carolina returns to Southeastern Conference action on Saturday with a doubleheader against Mississippi State. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Beckham Field.
