March 15, 2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Despite Laura Mendes’s first home run of 2009 and two RBI, the Gamecocks still fall to No. 7/6 Tennessee, 9-2, in the second game of the doubleheader on Sunday at Shari Parker Lee Stadium.
The Lady Vols (23-3, 2-0 SEC) got on the board in the second when Jen Lapicki took a 2-0 pitch from Gamecock starter Krystle Robinson (1-3) and drove it off the light pole behind the left field fence to put Tennessee up, 1-0.
Tennessee added six more to the lead in the third. Tiffany Huff drove in Kelly Grieve after her leadoff single. Lillian Hammond came around on a wild pitch next, while Huff scored on Erinn Webb’s grounder. Lapicki singled and moved to third on Shelby Burchell’s double. Nicole Kajitani lined the second pitch of the day from freshman Kelsey Goodwin out over the Women’s College World Series sign in right center for a three-run homer, putting Tennessee on top, 7-0.
Sophomore Laura Mendes got South Carolina (12-9, 0-7 SEC) on the scoreboard in the fourth, lacing the 3-2 pitch from Tennessee starter Danielle Pieroni (3-0) out of the park right down the right-field line above the 200-foot sign on the wall.
The Big Orange answered with a run in the bottom half of the fourth. Huff drew a two-out walk and stole her way into scoring position, where Jessica Spigner brought her home with a single thru the left side.
South Carolina added another run in the sixth, when freshman Lauren Lackey scored on Mendes’s fielder’s choice. Lackey reached on a walk, moved to second on a fielder’s choice before advancing to third on a wild pitch.
The Lady Vols added one more in the sixth, when Jessica Spigner drilled the offering from freshman Kierstyn White over the wall in left.
Robinson got the loss for South Carolina, giving up six earned runs on six hits and two walks in 2.2 innings of work. Pieroni got the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits in five innings of work.
The Gamecocks return to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Mississippi starting at 5 p.m. at Beckham Field.
