April 14, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Redshirt sophomore Julie Sarratt held the Southeastern Conference’s top-hitting team to five hits, but Georgia (31-14, 8-7 SEC) got one when it counted to take a 2-0 win over South Carolina (22-19, 2-13 SEC) in front of 1,000 fans at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field on Sunday.
Sarratt (5-5) allowed two runs, one earned, on those five hits, while striking out four and walking three on just 90 pitches. But her counterpart, Georgia’s freshman Chelsea Wilkerson (4-2) held the Gamecocks to three hits and two walks while fanning six in the shutout win.
All the offense Georgia needed came again from freshman Geri Ann Glasco in the fourth inning. Sarratt stood perfect after three innings, but Georgia’s Paige Wilson reached on an error to start the fourth. On the next pitch, Glasco launched an opposite-field shot to left center to give the Bulldogs the 2-0 advantage.
Georgia also got a double from Wilkinson, her first hit of 2013 in the fifth, and left three runners on in the last two innings. Sarratt gave up a leadoff single to Wilson in the sixth before getting two outs. A fielding error put runners at second and third, and Tess Sito drew a walk to load the bases. But a diving stop by Gamecock junior second baseman Dana Hathorn and a toss to second forced out Sito and ended the threat.
In the seventh, Georgia once again loaded the bases on a walk and two singles around a liner to second. With one down, a grounder went to redshirt senior first baseman Kelley Dillon, who made the quick throw home to force out the runner for the second out. Sarratt fanned the next Bulldog hitter to end the inning without any damage.
South Carolina threatened in the first, getting singles from senior shortstop Samie Garcia and Hathorn around a groundout to put runners at the corner. Wilkinson got a ground ball and a strikeout to escape the jam. The Gamecocks also left two on in the second, getting a one-out hit from junior designated player Ashlyn Masters and a walk from senior catcher Shelby Gonzales. But a strikeout and a ground ball got Wilkinson out of trouble.
Wilkinson settled down after that, walking the leadoff batter in the third before getting a double-play grounder to wipe out the runner. No other Gamecock reached base after that walk to freshman left fielder Alaynie Page.
For Georgia, who entered the day leading the SEC in team batting average and slugging percentage, Wilson reached three times and went 2-for-4. Niaja Griffin also had a hit for Georgia.
South Carolina takes on Presbyterian on Tuesday at 6 p.m. EDT at the Pine Grove Complex, the site of this fall’s NPF exhibition. The complex is located at 701 Old Barnwell Road in West Columbia.
