March 29, 2013
COLUMBIA, Mo. – South Carolina (18-12, 1-6 SEC) dropped the opening contest of the series at No. 7/6 Missouri (18-2, 5-2 SEC) 10-2 in six inning on Friday night at University Field.
Kelsea Roth led the Tigers with a 2-for-3 day, hitting a first-inning grand slam with two outs. Emily Crane was the only other Missouri player with two hits, scoring a run and driving in another. Ten different Tigers scored a run.
The Tigers added to its 4-0 lead in the second on Corrin Genovese’s RBI single, scoring Sarah Moore after she led off the frame with a walk, and Jenna Marston’s sacrifice fly, which plated Genovese after she reached third on a passed ball.
South Carolina scored twice in the sixth to make it 6-2, with junior right fielder Chelsea Hawkins scoring freshman left fielder Alaynie Page with a sacrifice fly. Junior designated player Ashlyn Masters doubled to right center, allowing sophomore centerfielder Kristen Struett to score from first.
But Missouri came back to end the game before the Gamecocks got another chance. Two runs scored on Crane’s single to left, the second after an error. Princess Krebs drove in the ninth run with a groundout to short, and Mackenzie Sykes ended it with a single up the middle.
Chelsea Thomas (10-1) got the win, tossing four scoreless innings, fanning seven and walking three. Gamecock freshman Katie Marks (5-7) took the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, on four hits and four walks.
The two teams meet up for a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. CDT at University Field.
