April 14, 2010
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – South Carolina fell to USC Upstate, 5-0, on Wednesday afternoon in front of a record crowd of 382 people at Cyrill Stadium.
Morgan Childers (25-5) tossed a two-hitter against the Gamecocks, striking out seven in the shutout win. Childers also two-hit South Carolina eight days ago in Columbia. Junior Ashley Chastain (4-12) allowed four earned runs on nine hits and a walk in 3.1 innings. Junior April Borchardt pitched well in relief, giving up one unearned run on three hits and two walks while striking out one.
The Spartans (29-10) struck early, scoring two in the first. Three straight hits, including an RBI bunt single by Ericka Harris, plated the first run, while Katie Zauner got a sacrifice fly to score the second. The Gamecocks (10-31) kept Upstate at bay until the fourth, when Crislyn Chewning drove in Kim Brasil with a single. Chewning later scored on Monica Hall’s base hit to make it 4-0 after four. The Spartans tagged on the final run in the fifth, when Janna Lewis scored on two Gamecock errors on the same play with two outs.
Brasil, Chewning and Harris combined to go 7-for-10 with four runs scored and two RBI. Brasil had two doubles among her three hits. Hall also went 3-for-4 with a double. Junior Laura Mendes hit her team-leading 13th double, while sophomore Kandyce Redondo had the other Gamecock hit.
South Carolina hosts Mississippi State in a three-game Southeastern Conference series at Beckham Field this weekend. Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1 p.m., and the Gamecock alumni in attendance for the contests will be recognized between games. Sunday’s game is set for a 2 p.m. EDT first pitch, as Senior Day festivities will precede the contest that SportSouth will show live.
