Feb. 9, 2013
DELAND, Fla. – Sparked by leadoff hitter Samie Garcia’s program record-tying four runs, South Carolina (2-0) got its second run-rule win of 2013, beating Michigan State (1-1) 11-3 in five innings on the second day of the Stetson Lead-Off Classic at Patricia Wilson Field.
Garcia went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two stolen bases and two RBI to go with those four runs. Freshman left fielder Alaynie Page went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBI, while redshirt sophomore first baseman Julie Sarratt added a homer with two RBI. Junior second baseman Dana Hathorn had a 2-for-3 outing with a two-RBI single that ended the game. Freshman Ansley Ard collected her first Gamecock hit and stolen base off the bench.
Michigan State’s Sarah Bowling went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, while Kyleen Hopkins went 2-for-2 in the leadoff spot.
South Carolina got on the board in the first thanks to a dropped fly with two down. Junior centerfielder Ashlyn Masters lifted one to deep left, and the Spartan defender dropped the ball, allowing Garcia to score from second. Garcia drove in a run to start the scoring in the three-run second, doubling home Sarratt with two outs. Page followed with a two-RBI single to make it 4-0 Gamecocks after two.
Michigan State got on the board in the third on Sarah Bowling’s single to center, scoring both Hopkins and Destinee Luna. But the Gamecocks answered in the bottom half of the inning when Sarratt drove the first pitch she saw in the inning over the wall in center, scoring Ard and putting South Carolina on top 6-2. The advantage grew to 8-2 in the fourth on Page’s two-run homer to left center, scoring Garcia after her second double of the game.
The Spartans drew within five on Bowling’s solo homer to center, one batter after Page doubled off a Spartan runner from second after catching a sinking line drive, the second double play for the Gamecocks on the day.
The Gamecocks closed things in the fifth when Garcia plated junior pinch hitter Codee Yeske with a single. After Page drew a walk to load the bases, Hathorn found a hole on the left side with her ground-ball single, scoring freshman pinch hitter Lauren Masters and Garcia to end the game at 11-3.
Freshman pitcher Katie Marks (1-0) got the victory in her Gamecock debut, giving up three runs on six hits and four walks while striking out two. Kelly Smith (1-1) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing seven earned runs, eight total, on seven hits and a walk. She struck out two in 3.1 innings of work.
