March 25, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Behind junior catcher Sarah Mooney’s first grand slam as a Gamecock, South Carolina (18-12) captured a 9-1 win in five innings over Furman (14-15) in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
After Furman struck in the third on Amber Muller’s two-out RBI single, South Carolina answered with six in the bottom of the frame. A bases-loaded walk to freshman first baseman Kaylea Snaer tied the game before redshirt freshman third baseman Lauren Masters drove one through the left side to make it a 2-1 Gamecock lead. With the bases still loaded, Mooney skied the 3-1 pitch onto Weems Baskin Track beyond the left-field wall for her first grand slam as a Gamecock.
South Carolina added two more runs in the fourth on Snaer’s RBI single and sophomore Ansley Ard’s sacrifice fly. Senior right fielder Ashlyn Masters ended the game in the bottom of fifth with a sacrifice fly, scoring fellow senior Codee Yeske after the shortstop led off the inning with her second triple of the year.
Blue (11-5) tossed her third complete game of the year, fanning a career-best six while giving up one earned run on six hits and a walk. Lauren Collier (8-8) took the loss for the Paladins, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and four walks in three innings. She struck out three.
Ashlyn Masters went 2-for-3, extending her hitting streak to a team-best nine games, with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Yeske went 3-for-3 with her triple and two runs scored. Snaer walked twice, scored once and drove in two while going 1-for-1, and freshman designated player Victoria Williams also had two walks, with both pinch runners for her scoring. Lauren Masters, Mooney, Ard and junior centerfielder Kristen Struett also had one hit each for the Gamecocks, the first three with an RBi as well.
Ard had a big day in the outfield, making two assists while in center. She ended the second, with help on the relay from Yeske, by mowing down Furman’s Hannah Pace at the plate. In the third after Jenkins scored, her throw home helped get the second out when Jacobs rounded third and stopped halfway. Mooney chased her back to third and tagged her for the second out.
The win gives Gamecock head coach Beverly Smith her 101st career win, second in Gamecock Softball’s 41-year history for a head coach. Mooney’s home run stands as her eighth of the season, moving her into a six-way tie for sixth in a single season at South Carolina. It also qualifies her for the career homers-per-game listing, where she’s tops all time.
Sieara Bishop posted two of the Paladins’ six hits, while Muller drove in Taylor Jenkins for Furman’s only run. Stephanie Spain added a double.
