Feb. 28, 2012
by Ryan Pederson and Koby Padgett
South Carolina Athletic Media Relations
February 28, 2012
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Charleston Southern | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Highlights |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team (10-4) fell to Charleston Southern (10-4) 2-0 in the first game of Tuesday afternoon’s doubleheader at Beckham Field.
Senior pitcher Kierstyn White (5-3) went all seven innings for the Gamecocks, allowing just two runs on five hits, but the offense could not get in a rhythm and were held to just two hits.
Charleston Southern opened the scoring in the top of the first as right fielder Stephanie Spardella drove a ball off the top of the wall in left for an RBI double, scoring Megan Lombard after she started the contest with a walk. The Buccaneers added an insurance run in the sixth when Linzy Rother flared a single to shallow left field with the bases loaded, scoring Jana Matthews after her one-out single. White limited the damage, getting a pair of pop outs to end the threat.
The Gamecocks offense had their best offensive opportunity in the third when junior shortstop Samie Garcia led off with a standup double, extending her hit streak to 13 games. After senior centerfielder Lauren Lackey laid down a sac bunt to move Garcia to third, senior leftfielder Kaitlin Westfall reached after Garcia froze the Charleston Southern third baseman with her move off the bag. Senior third baseman Evan Childs worked a walk to load the bases. But Buccaneer starter Morgan Dowdy (6-1) came back to get two ground balls to hold Carolina scoreless.
The junior Dowdy allowed only two hits on the day and walked two while striking out nine in the shutout win.
Lackey had a bunt hit in the first inning to extend her hit streak to 10 games.
