April 15, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Led by freshman Lauren Lackey’s three-hit day at the plate, South Carolina took home a 3-2 win over USC Upstate on Wednesday afternoon at Beckham Field in the first meeting between the two system schools.
Lackey led the hit parade with her three, including a double to set up the game-winning run in the fifth. Five other Gamecocks collected hits, including sophomore Jill Semento, who cracked her second homer of the season.
South Carolina (18-17) ran out to a 1-0 lead with two down in the second when Lackey singled to left, sending home freshman Evan Childs from second. Childs reached on a one-out hit and moved into scoring position on a walk to junior Lindsay Walker.
The Spartans (24-13) tied it in the third on Kim Brasil’s homer that just cleared the fence in right center. USC Upstate threatened to score more after back-to-back two-out singles from Heidi Gibbs and Crislyn Chewning, but Gamecock starter Audrey Broyles got an infield pop to escape the jam.
USC Upstate came back in the fourth and scored the go-ahead run with two down. Amber Patterson got an infield single to start the inning and moved to third on Keri Sarratt’s attempted sacrifice bunt. The throw to first got away from the South Carolina defense, allowing Sarratt to reach. Broyles got a strikeout and a grounder for two outs, with pinch runner Melissa Lockey moving to second on the second out. Ana Mitchell stepped up and hit the first pitch of the at bat to center, plating Patterson from third. Lockey tried to score, but the throw from freshman centerfielder Kristen Stubblefield and the block of the plate by sophomore catcher P.J. Fulmer were enough to keep it a 2-1 game.
Semento led off the fourth and drilled the 3-1 offering over the fair pole in left field for her second homer of the year, tying the game at 2-2. In the fifth, Lackey got a double to center to start the frame, but USC Upstate pitcher Morgan Childers (19-8) got a strikeout and a fly to right to get two outs. Lackey successfully advanced to third on the long fly ball. Sophomore Adele Voigt chopped the 0-2 pitch over the third baseman’s head, bringing home Lackey from third. Stubblefield followed with a single, but both runners were left stranded when Childers got a strikeout to get out of the inning.
Freshman Kierstyn White (7-2) got the win in relief, allowing just one hit in three innings of work while striking out two. Childers was charged with the loss, giving up three earned runs on eight hits while fanning three. Sophomore Laura Mendes saw her five-game hitting streak snapped in the game.
The Gamecocks hit the road for a seven-game stretch, starting with a three-game series at Mississippi State that starts at 11 a.m. CDT on Saturday in Starkville, Miss.
