Feb. 18, 2012
by Koby Padgett
Assistant Media Relations Director
MIAMI, Fla. – An efficient and commanding performance from senior pitcher Kierstyn White led South Carolina (5-1) to a 5-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago (4-5) in Saturday’s first game for the Gamecocks in the Blue & Gold Feisberg Memorial at Florida International University.
White (2-1) tossed 74 pitches and gave up only two hits, both in the seventh inning, in her first career shutout. She walked two and struck out one in the complete-game victory.
The Gamecocks got on the board in the first thanks to senior Kaitlin Westfall’s RBI double, scoring junior Samie Garcia from second after she got on with an infield single and moved to second on junior Hannah Milks’ sacrifice bunt. The lead grew to 2-0 after sophomore Chelsea Hawkins blasted a ball over the left-field wall in the second.
In the fourth, Garcia came through for the second-straight game with the bases loaded, getting a hit off Flame pitcher Ashley Hewett to score sophomore Dana Hathorn to make it 3-0. The Gamecocks concluded their scoring in the sixth on a fielder’s choice by Garcia, scoring senior pinch runner Sam Arbaugh, and on senior Evan Childs’ bases-loaded walk.
Garcia went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Westfall had two doubles and an RBI in her 2-for-2 outing. Hathorn and Hawkins both added two hits.
Hewett (1-3) took the loss for UIC, giving up three earned runs on six hits and three walks. She struck out three.
