March 17, 2010
| Coach Compton |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (9-16, 0-7 SEC) saw a second rally come up short on Wednesday night, as Arkansas (17-8, 2-0 SEC) staved off the seventh-inning comeback bid to take a 3-2 win in the nightcap and complete the doubleheader sweep at Beckham Field.
Gamecock sophomore Kaitlin Westfall broke out of her slump with a 3-for-3 outing, driving in a run while knocking her first double of the year. Five other Gamecocks had hits in the contest.
The Hogs got on the board in the fifth on a two-out, two-RBI double by Becca Carden. She brought home Brittany Robison, who led off the inning with a double, and Jessica Bachkora, who had not been retired in seven plate appearances on the day, was intentionally walked.
South Carolina got within a run in the sixth when Westfall doubled off the left-centerfield wall to score sophomore Evan Childs from first. The two-bagger also ranks as Westfall’s first extra-base hit of the year.
Arkansas added an insurance run in the seventh when pitcher Layne McGuirt drove the 101st pitch of the game from Gamecock sophomore starter Kelsey Goodwin (0-8) over the right-field wall.
The Gamecocks got the leadoff runner aboard in the bottom of the seventh when senior Lindsay Walker laced a ball to left. South Carolina loaded the bases with one down after freshman Hannah Milks got hit by a pitch and sophomore Lauren Lackey singled through the middle. Arkansas reliever Hope McLemore got junior Laura Mendes to ground to second for the second out while allowing junior pinch-runner April Borchardt to score. After falling behind junior P.J. Fulmer, the Hogs decided to intentionally walk her, and the move paid off, as the next Gamecock batter lifted a short fly to right that second baseman Courtney Breault caught to end the game.
McGuirt (5-2) tossed six-plus innings, allowing both earned runs on six hits while striking out two. Goodwin got the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits and four walks in the complete-game outing. She tied her career high with six strikeouts. McLemore got her third save of the season, walking one and giving up one hit in one inning.
The Garnet and Black head west on Interstate 20 again this weekend to go back to the Alabama Softball Complex to take on the No. 8/5 Crimson Tide in a three-game set starting on Saturday. Sunday’s 2 p.m. EDT finale is scheduled for a FOX Sports Net South broadcast.
