March 21, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Ninth-ranked Georgia had two pitchers combine for a two-hit shutout, as South Carolina lost a 10-0 decision to the Bulldogs in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday at Beckham Field.
Georgia (19-4, 3-2 SEC) posted a six spot in the first when 11 Bulldog batters came to the plate. Taylor Schlopy led off the game with a walk, and Kristin Schnake followed with a fly out. Alisa Goler got a hit to left, and Megan Wiggins moved her to third with her RBI double. Brianna Hesson plated Goler with a single to left, which ended the first appearance of the game of redshirt sophomore Krystle Robinson (1-4). Reliever Kierstyn White then walked the first two batters she faced, forcing in a run, before striking out Tori Moody. A scary moment followed White’s third walk and second with the bases loaded, as Schlopy lined a shot right back at White, who deflected the ball away from her face with her glove. Two more runs came in on the play, however. White finally got out of the jam when she got Schnake to ground out to short.
The Bulldogs added another run in the second when Hesson drove in Wiggins with a groundout after Wiggins connected for a one-out triple.
South Carolina (13-12, 1-10 SEC) saw its pitching settle down after that, giving up just one hit over the next four innings. The seventh was a different story, as the Dogs added three runs. Goler doubled home Schnake, while Tess Echols brought home pinch-runner Jennie Auger. Ashley Pauly followed with another RBI single, ending Ashley Chastain’s day. Robinson came back out to get a ground out and a strikeout to end the frame.
The Gamecocks threatened in the second, putting runners at first and second with one down after junior Lindsay Walker singled to left and senior Jacqueline Wetherbee got hit by a pitch. But no runs would score, as a foul out and a grounder ended the chance.
Georgia freshman Erin Arevalo (1-0) picked up her first career win in relief, walking two and allowing one hit over four innings of work. Robinson gave up four earned runs on three hits and a walk to get the loss.
The border rivals wrap up the three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
