April 21, 2010
| Coach Compton Pre-Game Ceremony |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The final home game of the season and of Joyce Compton’s South Carolina career did not have a storybook ending, as a seventh-inning Gamecock rally fell short on Wednesday evening in a 4-3 setback to in-state rival Coastal Carolina (21-24) in front of the second-largest crowd of the season at Beckham Field.
The South Carolina faithful totaling 573 fans came to see Compton in her last home contest, and they nearly saw her go out a winner. Down 4-1 heading into the seventh inning, senior centerfielder Adele Voigt led off with a chopper up the middle. Coastal second baseman Sarah Maples gloved it and threw to first a half-step ahead of the always-hustling Voigt to get the first out. Sophomore Kandyce Redondo, who has become the pinch-hitting specialist for the Gamecocks, reached on her third hit off the bench this year. Junior first baseman Laura Mendes followed with a line shot that hit the tubing on the top of the right-field wall and bounced over for her third homer of the year, cutting the Chanticleer advantage to 4-3. But Ashley Frederick (11-14) ended the contest with a groundout and a foul out.
In the second, Coastal plated two to take the early lead. Alyssa Tornatore crossed the plate with two down after a wild pitch hit off the catcher’s gear and bounced out of play. Ashley Pisone followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
The Gamecocks cut the lead in half in the fifth when Mendes singled home Voigt after the senior started the inning with a double. After a fielder’s choice allowed freshman Hannah Milks to reach, she stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. But Frederick fanned the Gamecock hitter to escape the frame with the lead.
The Chanticleers added two important insurance runs in the seventh on Pizone’s triple. She drove home Mecaela Ballard, who walked ahead of the triple. The relay throw to third went into the Coastal dugout, giving Pizone the plate and the Chants the 4-1 lead.
Frederick allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four in the complete-game win. Junior Ashley Chastain (4-14) took the loss, giving up two unearned runs on three hits and three walks. She struck out one.
After the game, the team presented Compton with two dozen roses, one for each of her 24 years at South Carolina, while during the game, various facts and historical pictures of Compton were shown on the scoreboard. Compton compiled a 427-136-1 record in 24 years on the plot of land just off South Marion Street where Beckham Field now sits.
South Carolina closes out the 2010 season with two road series in the Southeastern Conference. The first begins on Saturday in Athens, Ga., as the Gamecocks face the Georgia Bulldogs, with first pitch for Saturday’s doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. EDT start. Sunday’s single game begins at 2 p.m. EDT.
