May 16, 2014
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – South Carolina never got the offense going in a 6-0 loss to USF (42-15) in the opening game of the Tallahassee Regional in the 2014 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament at JoAnne Graf Field.
USF struck first with Lee Ann Spivey’s leadoff homer in the second, driving the first pitch of the frame out to left. A walk to Ta’coia Williams followed the homer, and she moved to second on Ronnie Gajownik’s bunt. A fly out got the Gamecocks (35-21) its second out of the inning, but Kristen Wyckoff poked one toward the hole on the left side. The ball went under two South Carolina gloves before reaching the outfield for a single, letting Williams score to make it 2-0.
The Bulls scored again in the fifth, loading the bases with one out on a walk, an infield single and a hit by pitch. Stephanie Medina brought home the first with a hit that landed over the outstretched arm of the Gamecock second baseman into shallow right center. After Gamecock junior catcher Sarah Mooney picked up a chopper and stepped on the plate for the second out, Williams came through with a single through the middle, bringing home two more to give USF the 5-0 lead. Ashli Goff’s single off the SC third baseman’s glove on her diving attempt in the sixth pushed the Bulls’ lead to 6-0.
South Carolina managed three hits in the contest, two by junior Kristen Struett. Her single in the second nearly started a two-out rally. Freshman first baseman Victoria Williams drew a walk to follow Struett, and senior second baseman Dana Hathorn got plunked to load the bases. But Bulls starter Sara Nevins tallied her third strikeout of the frame to end the inning. Hathorn had a one-out single in the seventh, and senior Ashlyn Masters had a pitch hit her with two outs, but Erica Nunn got the final out on her fourth strikeout
Nevins (28-8) picked up the win with 5.2 innings of two-hit ball, walking three while striking out eight. Gamecock redshirt junior Julie Sarratt (17-11) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on four hits and a walk in four innings. She fanned one.
Ashli Goff and Medina had two hits each for the Bulls, with both driving in a run. All nine USF starters had hits, with Spivey recording the only extra-base hit with her homer. The Gamecocks managed to leave eight on base in the setback.
The Gamecocks await the loser of the Florida State vs. Fordham contest in the 2:30 p.m. elimination game at JoAnne Graf Field at Seminole Softball Complex on ESPN.
