May 3, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A dynamic offensive performance that included senior Chelsea Hawkins’ grand slam and a total of five extra-base hits sent South Carolina (34-19, 10-13 SEC) to a 7-4 win over No. 20/20 Auburn (38-15-1, 11-12 SEC) on Saturday afternoon.
In front of 1,304 fans at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field, the largest single-game crowd this season, the Gamecocks assured their place in the 2014 SEC Softball Tournament, hosted by South Carolina and set to begin next Wednesday at the newest softball stadium in the league.
The Gamecocks captured the lead in the third with back-to-back home runs. Senior designated player Dana Hathorn got hit by a pitch to start the frame, and sophomore left fielder Alaynie Page laid down a beautiful bunt that caused the ball to die in the dirt, letting her beat it out for a hit. The Tigers’ starter Marcy Harper got the next two batters with a strikeout and a foul out. Redshirt freshman Lauren Masters drew a walk in an eight-pitch at-bat, loading the bases for the right fielder Hawkins. With a 2-2 count, Hawkins drove one over the wall in center for her fifth homer of the season, giving South Carolina the 4-1 lead. Junior catcher Sarah Mooney lined the next pitch out to left center to make it 5-1.
Hawkins’ homer gives her 21 in her career, which ranks third alone in program history. The grand slam also helped Hawkins move into a tie for 15th in South Carolina’s annals with 89 career RBI. Mooney’s blast gives her 11 on the season, tying the single-season record. That also ties her for 15th in program history with five other players.
Auburn, who took the 1-0 advantage in the second on Madi Gipson’s grounder, plating pinch runner Maris Medina, closed South Carolina’s lead to three on Gipson’s two-out single in the fourth. That scored Morgan Estell after she walked with one down and took second on Austyn West’s hit.
However, that advantage went back to four for the Gamecocks after only two batters in the fourth, as junior centerfielder Kristen Struett doubled off the top of the wall in left and Hathorn followed with a double to left center to make it 6-2. Senior shortstop Codee Yeske tripled when the ball got past the sliding attempt by Auburn’s left fielder to keep the ball from getting past her, giving South Carolina a 7-2 lead.
The Tigers posted two more runs in the fifth but had a chance to get much more. Auburn loaded the bases with no one out after a Gamecock error put Tiffany Howard on second, Emily Carosone singled and Kasey Cooper drew a walk. Branndi Melero avoided the tag running toward first after her check-swing grounder, scoring Howard. A grounder back to Gamecock starting pitcher Nickie Blue turned into a double play. A wild pitch let Cooper score, but a grounder to third ended the inning with South Carolina in the lead 7-4.
Blue (17-9) went the distance for her 17th win, giving up four runs, two earned on six hits and four walks while striking out one. Harper (17-4) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on six hits and three walks in six innings. She fanned three.
The win moves South Carolina to 10 in league play this year, making this the first time since 2007 that the Gamecocks have tallied double-digit conference wins. Before the game, South Carolina recognized over 30 former student-athletes in attendance for Alumni Day, and former head coach Joyce Compton threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
South Carolina and Auburn close the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Prior to first pitch, the Gamecock seniors will be honored as part of Senior Day festivities.
