April 26, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A stellar pitching performance from freshman Nickie Blue went awry with a pitch in the eighth, as Longwood (35-14) gained a 1-0 win in eight innings over South Carolina (33-18) on Saturday afternoon at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
Blue (16-8) tossed seven innings of shutout softball, but trouble found her in the eighth. A bunt single by Katie Shinrock and Megan Baltzell’s single through the middle put Lancer runners at the corners with one down. A strikeout on a 3-2 pitch gave Blue the second out, but Emily Murphy drew a walk to load the bases. On the first pitch to Carly Adams, the ball bounced in and ricocheted away from the Gamecock catcher, allowing Shinrock to score the game’s only run. Adams walked, but Blue came back to fan Casey Lifsey, setting a new career best with nine strikeouts in the setback. Blue allowed five hits and three walks total.
Lancer freshman Elizabeth McCarthy (17-5) captured the win with eight shutout innings, giving up two hits and six walks while striking out six.
South Carolina’s offense stranded runners on third twice in the game. In the first, redshirt freshman third baseman Lauren Masters tallied a one-out double and moved to third on junior designated player Sarah Mooney’s fly to right, but a liner caught by Lancer second baseman Justina Augustine at the height of her jump ended the chance.
The fifth saw sophomore left fielder Ansley Ard single to left with one out, and she took second on a wild pitch. The Lancers intentionally walked senior second baseman Ashlyn Masters, and Lauren Masters’ grounder to second forced off her older sister but put Ard on third with two outs. A grounder to third closed South Carolina’s half of the fifth.
Baltzell went 2-for-4 with two singles for the Lancers, while Shinrock, Adams and Lifsey also had singles. Adams and Shinrock were joined by Murphy with walks. Gamecock freshman first baseman Victoria Williams walked twice, while four other Gamecocks drew one each.
South Carolina hosts No. 22/22 Auburn in the final series of the regular season next weekend. Friday’s opener is schedule for a 7 p.m. EDT first pitch.
