April 1, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecock redshirt junior Julie Sarratt tossed a two-hit shutout to help South Carolina (24-12) to an 8-0 win in five innings over Presbyterian (18-15) to close out the split doubleheader on Tuesday night.
Sarratt struck out six and walked only one in her third shutout of the season. No Blue Hose player reached second in the 75-pitch outing from Sarratt. Offensively, both Ashlyn and Lauren Masters scored twice, with Lauren also driving in two runs and adding a double in a 2-for-2 day. Ashlyn extended her hitting streak to 15 games with her first-inning single. Freshman designated player Victoria Williams hit her third career homer and drove in a season-best four runs in a 1-for-2 day. Sophomore Ansley Ard also scored and drove in a run while doubling.
The Masters sisters started the Gamecocks’ offense with singles in the first, setting up Williams’ three-run homer, an opposite-field blast to make it 3-0.
Four more Gamecocks scored in the second after three walks loaded the bases with one out. Lauren Masters hit a two-run double, scoring sophomore outfielders Ard and Alaynie Page. Ashlyn Masters came home on Williams’ grounder to first, while freshman first baseman Kaylea Snaer singled through the left side to score Lauren Masters and give the Gamecocks the 7-0 lead.
With one out in the fifth, South Carolina ended the game on Ard’s double to left center, scoring junior catcher Olivia Lawrence after she started the frame with a single.
Sydney Seigler (9-8) took the loss for the Blue Hose, allowing six earned runs on three hits and three walks in 1.1 innings of work. Natasha Sherrod tossed the final three innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits.
South Carolina closes its home stand on a seven-game winning streak, taking four from in-state rivals in the midweek and a weekend sweep of Mississippi in between. The Gamecocks will try to keep the streak going on Friday when they play at No. 15/17 Georgia. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens for the series opener.
