March 25, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (19-12) used three home runs to claim a 10-0 (5) win over Furman (14-16) to sweep Tuesday’s doubleheader at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
Home runs from senior right fielder Chelsea Hawkins, junior centerfielder Kristen Struett and freshman designated player Victoria Williams accounted for six of South Carolina’s runs. Hawkins went 2-for-2 with a double and three-run homer, scoring twice and driving in four total. Sophomore left fielder Ansley Ard also had two hits and scored twice, while junior catcher Sarah Mooney went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Senior second baseman Ashlyn Masters, Struett and Williams all had one hit and one run, with Struett driving home two and the other two one each.
South Carolina started its scoring on Hawkins’ RBI double, plating Ard after a one-out single and stolen base. Hawkins came home on Masters’ team-leading 13th double of the season. Struett lined a 2-1 offering over the wall in left for her second homer of the year, and Williams followed by knocking a 3-1 pitch over the wall near the left field foul pole to make it 5-0.
The Gamecocks ran the lead to 6-0 on senior shortstop Codee Yeske’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly, scoring freshman pinch runner Mackenzie Moler, who came on after Mooney singled to start the frame. Ard singled and Hawkins drew a walk to load the bases with no one out.
Loading the bases in the fourth, the Gamecocks scored four with two outs. A wild pitch sent home freshman third baseman Taylor Williams from third, while Hawkins cleared the other two with her blast out to center, her second homer of the season. Williams reached on a dropped fly in right before Mooney singled and Ard reached on a fielder’s choice.
Gamecock redshirt junior Julie Sarratt (8-7) collected her second shutout of the season, tossing five innings of scoreless ball while scattering five hits and a walk. She struck out six. Shelby Parker (4-7) took the loss for Furman, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and four walks in three innings.
Hawkins’ homer tied her for fourth Gamecock history with Meghan Cornett and Dana Fulmer with 18 in her career. For Williams, it was her first collegiate home run.
South Carolina hosts Mississippi for a three-game series this weekend, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. EDT on Friday.
