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March 3, 2012

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Another strong offensive outing pushed South Carolina (15-4) to a 9-4 victory over UC Riverside (6-11) in Saturday’s action at the Highlander Classic at Amy S. Harrison Field.

Seniors Evan Childs and Lauren Lackey both drove in three runs and had two hits in the contest, while junior Shelby Gonzales and sophomore Chelsea Hawkins added homers. Gonzales drove in two runs and walked twice as well.

The Gamecocks got on the board in the first on Childs’ bases-loaded single, scoring junior shortstop Samie Garcia after she started the contest with a hit, extending her hitting streak to 18 games, and Lackey after her walk. Two more came across in the second on Lackey’s two-RBI single up the middle, scoring pinch runners Kylie Morin and Hannah Milks.

Hawkins made it 5-0 in the third with a two-out homer to left, her fifth of the season. But the Highlanders got a run back in the bottom of the frame on Kayla White’s sacrifice fly.

Two more Gamecock runs crossed in the fourth, as Lackey had a bases-loaded single to score Gonzales ahead of Childs’ sacrifice fly to right that allowed Brossart to score. Gonzales came up big in the fifth, lacing the 2-1 offering over the wall in left, scoring senior pinch runner Sam Arbaugh, who came on for freshman Lacey Rother after Rother’s second walk of the day.

UC Riverside fought back in the fifth, as Halle Luna started the one-out rally with an infield single. White followed with a triple that just got under the glove of the diving effort by the Gamecock centerfielder. Highlander relief pitcher Amy Lwin followed with a shot over the wall in right that made it 9-4. The Gamecocks brought in senior Kierstyn White then, who shut down the Highlander offense, scattering four hits and a walk over the final 2.2 innings.

South Carolina freshman pitcher Katelynn Howser (6-0) got the win, tossing 4.1 innings and giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits and a walk. Both Gamecock pitchers struck out one. Jordyn McDonald (4-6) took the loss for UC Riverside, giving up five runs, three earned, on four hits and three walks in three innings of work.

The Gamecocks close their time at the Highlander Classic on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. against UC Davis.