Feb. 7, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecock youth continued to shine in game two of the doubleheader, as freshman Evan Childs connected for two home runs to lead the comeback charge in South Carolina’s 6-4 victory over the College of Charleston on Saturday afternoon in front of 579 fans at Beckham Field. South Carolina swept the season-opening doubleheader, as they took the first game, 7-1.
Childs led the charge at the plate, driving in four runs on her two blasts. Freshman designated player Audrey Broyles went 2-for-2, while sophomores Laura Mendes and Jill Semento both had a hit and an RBI in the day’s finale.
South Carolina got the winning run in the sixth when Mendes brought home freshman Kristen Stubblefield with a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Gamecocks the 5-4 advantage. Semento drove in the insurance run with a knock back through the middle, plating senior Ashton Payne.
An inning earlier, Childs tied up the game with a three-run home run. Mendes walked and moved to third on a throwing error on Semento’s fielder’s choice. That gave Childs the opportunity to tie the game, and she came through with a drive over the left field wall.
The Cougars got a 4-1 lead on pitcher Shannon Howard’s big fly in the fourth and Amber Shifflett’s two-run dinger in the fifth.
Childs originally tied the game in the third with a two-out home run onto Weems Baskin Track beyond the left-field wall. The Cougars captured the first lead in the third when Amanda Lonergan scored on Childs’ error.
Freshman Kierstyn White got the victory for South Carolina, tossing two perfect innings in relief of Krystle Robinson, who allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in five innings. Robinson fanned a game-best five batters. Howard got the loss, allowing all six runs, five of them earned, in six innings. Childs’ two home runs marked the first multiple homer game for a South Carolina player since Feb. 17, 2007, when both Jacqueline Wetherbee and McKenna Hughes accomplished the feat against different opponents in the FSU Sunshine State Tournament. Childs is the first freshman to put two over the wall since Becky Martinez did it against South Dakota State on March 5, 2005.
The Gamecocks and Cougars wrap up the three-game set on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Patriots Point Field in Charleston, S.C.
