March 7, 2014
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 11/11 Alabama claimed a 14-4 win in six innings over South Carolina to open Southeastern Conference play on Friday evening at Rhoads Stadium.
Senior Kaila Hunt led the Crimson Tide (18-4) with a 2-for-2 day, walking and scoring twice while hitting a sacrifice fly and the game-ending three-run homer. Senior Molly Fichtner went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI, while sophomore Haylie McCleney scored three times in a 1-for-3 day.
The Gamecocks (14-5, 0-1 SEC) held a 1-0 lead after just two batters. Sophomore left fielder Alaynie Page tripled over the right fielder’s head and was awarded home when the relay throw went into the Alabama dugout. The Crimson Tide answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, with Hunt and Fichtner both bringing home single runs and Jadyn Spencer scoring the third on a Gamecock error.
Alabama posted five more runs in the second, with four of the runs coming with two outs. Kallie Case singled home the first run, while Hunt’s sacrifice fly plated the second. A wild pitch put Case on second, letting Spencer drive her home. Fichtner followed with a double to score Spencer, and a bases-loaded walk to Danae Hays forced home the final run of the inning.
Senior designated player Ashlyn Masters drove in the Gamecocks’ second run of the game in the third, doubling in sophomore Jordan Bizzell after she reached second on an errant throw by the Crimson Tide third baseman. Freshman Kaylea Snaer posted a two-out, two-RBI single in the fifth to make it 9-5. Freshman pinch hitter Victoria Williams singled with one down, and Masters drew a walk to put two runners on. Both moved up on Page’s groundout to second to set up Snaer’s hit.
Alabama got the two runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Spencer drew a bases-loaded walk for the first before Fichtner drove a ball to the warning track in right to score McCleney for the 11th run. The final blow of the game from Hunt scored pinch runner Chandler Dare, who replaced Jaclyn Traina after her leadoff single in the sixth, and Case, who drew a two-out walk.
Traina (6-2) took the win, tossing 5.2 innings and giving up four runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks. She struck out five. Gamecock freshman Nickie Blue (9-3) was charged with the loss, allowing nine earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 1.2 innings.
Masters, Page, Snaer and Williams were joined by junior centerfielder Kristen Struett with hits for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks and Crimson Tide play again on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. EST.
