Gamecocks Take Down No. 3/3 Arizona State 3-2
Feb. 27, 2014
TEMPE, Ariz. –
Senior right fielder Chelsea Hawkins went 3-for-3 and helped with all three of South Carolina’s runs to lead the Gamecocks (14-2) to a huge 3-2 win over No. 3/3 Arizona State (18-1) in the first day of the ASU Louisville Slugger Invitational at Farrington Stadium.
In the fourth, Hawkins drove the seventh pitch of the at bat over the wall in center to give the Gamecocks the 2-0 lead. It also scored senior second baseman Dana Hathorn after she reached base on her 36th career hit-by-pitch, adding to her record total.
South Carolina added another run in the seventh, which proved to be great insurance. Hawkins posted a leadoff double from Hawkins, and freshman Victoria Williams added a one-out pinch-hit single. Senior designated player Ashlyn Masters hit a deep fly to center, letting Hawkins score the Gamecocks’ third run.
Arizona State fought to keep its record spotless in the seventh. Elizabeth Caporuscio reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the inning and Bethany Kemp hit an 0-2 pitch out to left to make it a one-run game. Chelsea Gonzales posted her third hit and second double next, and Nikki Girard poked one through the left side to put runners at the corners with no one out. Pinch runner Jennifer Soria stole second, putting both the tying and winning runs in scoring position with the No. 9 hitter Bailey Wigness up. Gamecock starting pitcher Nickie Blue (9-1) fanned her before getting leadoff hitter Cheyenne Coyle to line out weakly to second for the penultimate out. Alix Johnson battled to a full count before lining out to left to end the game.
The freshman Blue’s ninth win came while scattering six hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out five. The Sun Devils’ Dallas Escobedo (8-1) took the loss, giving up three earned runs on five hits in the complete-game loss. She struck out 11.
Hawkins went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. The round-tripper for Hawkins moved her into a tie for sixth in Gamecock history with Evan Childs and Ashley Smith, all with 17 career home runs. Hathorn reached twice, getting a hit in the second in a 1-for-2 day. Masters’ sacrifice fly tied her for ninth in Gamecock history with Laura Mendes’s six.
South Carolina evened its all-time record against Arizona State to 5-5 and earned its third win over a ranked foe in its last six games. South Carolina ended the regular season in 2013 with a win over No. 2/3 Florida, the win that sent the team into the SEC Tournament.
The Gamecocks continue against the loaded field at Arizona State on Friday with games against No. 19/20 Minnesota and Ball State. Both games will have live audio broadcasts on GamecocksOnline.com as well as Gametracker live stats.
