Feb. 8, 2015
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina (4-2) scored a first-inning run and made it stand, downing South Carolina 1-0 to hand the Gamecocks (4-1) their first defeat of 2015.
Pirate Mary Sloan Bradford tripled to center on the first pitch she saw in the game, and two batters later, Karlie Smith singled through the left side, plating Bradford and giving the Pirates the 1-0 advantage.
The Gamecock offense, after scoring 10 or more runs in the previous three games, struggled against ECU freshman pitcher Ashley Cruise (2-0). South Carolina’s first hit came with two outs in the fourth when sophomore first baseman Kaylea Snaer hit one off the backhand of the Pirate third baseman.
South Carolina had chances in the fifth and sixth, loading the bases with two down in the fifth before a fielder’s choice ended the frame. In the sixth, sophomore offensive player Victoria Williams had a one-out single. But a running catch by second baseman Andie Johnson and a diving grab by Bradford in left ended the inning with the Pirates still on top.
Cruise completed the shutout, scattering four hits and three walks while striking out two. Redshirt senior Julie Sarratt (2-1) took the loss, allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in four innings.
Game Changer:
Cruise kept the Gamecock offense at bay for seven innings, with plenty of help from her defense.
Key Stat:
South Carolina left nine runners on base.
Notables:
• Junior left fielder Alaynie Page continued her hitting streak started this year with her fifth-inning bunt single.
• Sophomores Kaylea Snaer, Taylor and Victoria Williams had the other Gamecock hits.
• Page, Taylor Williams and sophomore Nickie Blue were named to the Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team.
Up Next:
The Gamecocks start a five-game home stand on Wednesday with reigning American Athletic Conference champ UCF coming in for a 4 p.m. contest.
