April 24, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Gamecocks (26-20) broke out with seven runs in the sixth, ending game one of the doubleheader against Charlotte (20-23) early in a 10-2 victory at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Sophomore centerfielder Kristen Struett went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in the win, while freshman pinch hitter Ansley Ard went 2-for-2 with a double, a run and an RBI. Junior third baseman Codee Yeske went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a grand slam.
The first Gamecock run scored thanks to a Charlotte miscue. The pinch hitter Ard drove one to the wall in left, and a fumble of the ball by the Charlotte defender let Struett score. South Carolina loaded the bases for Yeske, who launched one over the left-field wall for the first grand slam in Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field history to make it 8-2. With two down, freshman Jordan Bizzell tallied her first collegiate hit through the left side, and junior right fielder Chelsea Hawkins followed with one off the glove of the diving 49er shortstop. Struett singled off the third baseman’s glove, bring Ard back up for the second time. She hit one into the hole at short, and the throw to third was late and wide, allowing two runs to score to close the game at 10-2.
Struett got the Gamecocks on the board in the first with a two-out RBI single, scoring junior second baseman Dana Hathorn after she got hit by a pitch with two down and moved to second on Hawkins’ walk. The lead grew to 3-2 in the second on senior shortstop Samie Garcia’s RBI base hit and Hathorn’s sacrifice fly. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Julie Sarratt started the inning with a single, and junior pinch runner Brooke Barnhill stole second before scoring on Garcia’s single. Hathorn plated Yeske after she reached on a fielder’s choice.
The 49ers cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth with their own two-out rally. Chelsea Ingersoll singled and Samantha Slade walked ahead of Jessica Plemmons, who sent one to the right-center gap to score both. Plemmons stumbled around first and had to retreat, and Sarratt got a foul out to squelch the threat.
Sarratt (9-5) went the distance in the win, striking out six while giving up two earned runs on two hits and two walks. Katie Watkins (12-14) took the loss for Charlotte, allowing eight earned runs on six hits and five walks in five innings.
