March 29, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Behind three home runs, South Carolina (21-12, 4-7 SEC) downed Mississippi (19-17, 3-8 SEC) 13-5 in six innings in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
A three-run second gave South Carolina the lead. Sophomore left fielder Alaynie Page hit a two-run homer to tie the game with one out, also driving home senior centerfielder Chelsea Hawkins after she had a one-out infield single. Senior right fielder Ashlyn Masters hit a two-out single and took second on a fielding error by the Rebel third baseman, setting up freshman designated player Victoria Williams’ RBI double that put South Carolina ahead, 4-3.
The Rebels held a 1-0 lead after a half inning thanks to Londen Ladner’s RBI groundout. South Carolina tied it in the bottom half of the first on freshman first baseman Kaylea Snaer’s RBI double, plating Masters after she drew a leadoff walk. Mississippi claimed the lead again in the second on Courtney Syrett’s two-run homer.
Three more Gamecock runs came in the fourth. Redshirt freshman Lauren Masters made it 6-3 with a two-out, two-run homer to left in the fourth. That scored Page after she walked to start the frame. Williams followed with her second homer of the season.
Mississippi threatened in the fifth, getting an RBI triple from Melina Preciado to cut the lead. A walk and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases, and Allison Brown worked a walk to force in the fifth Rebel run. Gamecock redshirt junior Julie Sarratt buckled down, inducing a pop to third, a foul out behind the plate and a strikeout to escape with South Carolina’s lead intact.
South Carolina tripled its insurance cushion with a four-run fifth. With the bases loaded and one out, senior shortstop Codee Yeske singled to right, scoring Hathorn from third against the third Rebel pitcher Madi Osias. Masters skied one near the line between the plate and first base that dropped in fair territory. Ashlyn Masters was called out on the infield fly rule, but sophomore pinch hitter Ansley Ard smartly dashed home after the ball hit the dirt and scored when not tagged. Redshirt freshman Lauren Masters followed with a single that fell just over the outstretched glove of the Rebel shortstop retreating into left, allowing Page and Yeske to score.
The Gamecocks closed the game in the sixth when a grounder to the Rebel shortstop rolled up the arm and away from the fielders, letting freshmen pinch runners Mackenzie Moler and Kate Shereyk score from second and first, respectively.
Sarratt (10-7) took the win in relief, giving up two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three in three innings. The win ties her for 15th in program history with Joyce McMillin, who also had 30 career victories. Ole Miss’s Emily Gaitan (4-3) took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits and three walks in 3.1 innings of work. She struck out five.
Both Lauren Masters and Williams went 2-for-4 with a homer, with Masters driving in four runs to Williams’ two. Williams and Snaer had the Gamecock doubles, and Page scored three times, walked twice and drove in two as well as hitting a homer. With her hit in the second, Ashlyn Masters stretched her hitting streak to 12 games, the best on the team this year. Hathorn’s run tied her for 18th in school history with 96 career runs scored.
Courtney Syrett went 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs scored and two RBI, while Preciado had the only triple of the game.
The Gamecocks and Rebels close the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
