Feb. 13, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (6-2) picked up its first win in come-from-behind fashion in Friday’s second game, downing Presbyterian 9-6 in front of a paid attendance of 1,164 at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
Sophomore first baseman Kaylea Snaer tied it with her single roped off the Blue Hose third baseman’s glove, while the Gamecocks captured the lead on freshman shortstop Krystan White’s bunt single. That scored senior centerfielder Kristen Struett after she reached on a bunt single earlier in the frame. With two runners on and two outs, junior left fielder Alaynie Page demolished the first pitch she saw over the for a three-run homer, her second of the day, to give South Carolina a 9-5 lead.
The Gamecocks, who fell behind 4-1 after the first, cut the Blue Hose lead to 5-4 in the fourth on Page’s first blast, a two-run shot to center, scoring junior right fielder Ansley Ard after her single with two outs. South Carolina scored in the first on sophomore designated player Victoria Williams’ RBI groundout and in the third on Struett’s sacrifice fly.
Presbyterian jumped out to the 4-1 lead thanks to Kersten Legacki’s RBI single and Erin Taylor’s three-run homer in the first. The Blue Hose put the lead back to three on Legacki’s solo homer in the third. PC cut into the lead in the sixth on Jordan Ashley’s groundout that scored pinch runner Ashlyn Durham, but the Gamecocks held on for the 9-6 lead.
South Carolina sophomore Nickie Blue (4-0) collected the win with a four-inning relief stint, allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out three. Presbyterian’s Natasha Sherrod (1-1) took the loss, giving up six earned runs on six hits and two walks in 3.1 innings of work.
Game Changer:
Page’s first home run in the fourth, as the first batter against Sherrod, helped the Gamecocks gain confidence to complete the comeback.
Key Stat:
Page tallied five RBI in a 3-for-5 day while tying the school record with two home runs in the contest. She also scored three runs.
Notables:
• Combined with her home run in the Appalachian State win, Page moved into a tie for 11th in Gamecock history with 14 career home runs, joining former All-American Kim Pietro (1996-99).
• Williams walked twice and drove in a run in a 1-for-2 outing.
• Freshman shortstop Krystan White went 2-for-4 with a run scored and her first collegiate RBI.
• Struett’s sac fly, the fifth of her career, ties her with five others in Gamecock history for 11th.
• With the pitching start, redshirt senior Julie Sarratt tied Jana Zimmerman (1990-92) in 10th with 70 career starts.
• Five Blue Hose players had two hits, led by Legacki’s 2-for-4 day with home run, two runs and two RBI.
• Presbyterian’s Erin Taylor went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Up Next:
South Carolina faces North Carolina and College of Charleston to close the 2015 Gamecock Invitational on Saturday afternoon at 3 and 5:30 p.m.
