March 15, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Senior Ashlyn Masters, with a two-run seventh-inning blast, handed South Carolina (16-8, 1-4 SEC) a 2-1 win over No. 13/15 Texas A&M (21-6, 3-2 SEC) in game one of Saturday’s action at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
With two outs in the seventh, sophomore left fielder Ansley Ard reached first base on an error by the Aggie third baseman. Masters came to the plate and worked to a 3-1 count before being officially checked back into the game. The next pitch, Masters drove over the wall in left center in a dramatic finish, giving the Gamecocks the win.
Texas A&M took a 1-0 lead during the top of the seventh, using a Gamecock error to its advantage. Brittany Clopton poked a one-out double just inside the line in left and moved to third on a wild pitch. After the Aggies’ leadoff hitter was called out for being hit by the ball out of the box on her hit attempt, April Ryan hit one to the Gamecock shortstop, who mishandled the big hop to let Ryan reach and Clopton score.
South Carolina redshirt junior pitcher Julie Sarratt (7-4) tossed a complete game to capture the win, giving up the one unearned run on five hits and two walks. She struck out nine while tossing a season-high 116 pitches. Texas A&M’s Rachel Fox (6-5) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs, three hits and three walks in 6.2 innings. She struck out three.
Masters went 2-for-3, adding a double to her first homer of the year, while freshman first baseman Kaylea Snaer reached twice on walks. Cassie Tysarczyk stood as the only Aggie with two hits on the day.
