Feb. 19, 2015
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – South Carolina (9-2) used a five-run fourth to take a 7-3 win over LIU Brooklyn (1-10) in the Gamecocks’ first game of the 2015 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at the Big League Dreams Park complex.
The Gamecocks took the lead for good in the fourth, as the first five hitters of the frame all got hits. Singles by sophomores Kaylea Snaer and Taylor Williams, redshirt senior Julie Sarratt and junior right fielder Ansley Ard helped the Gamecocks post their first two runs, and junior Alaynie Page tripled home two more for the fifth-straight hit to make it 5-1. Senior Kristen Struett plated Page with a sacrifice fly, growing the lead to 6-1.
A final Gamecock run crossed in the seventh, as Williams singled home freshman Tiara Duffy with two down in the seventh. LIU Brooklyn got a two-out, two-RBI single to close the day’s scoring.
South Carolina took the initial 1-0 lead in the first on redshirt sophomore Lauren Masters’ RBI single up the middle, scoring Page from third. The Blackbirds knotted things at 1-1 in the third on Kayla Gloady’s two-out single, scoring Nicole Archer.
Sarratt (4-2) picked up the complete-game win, fanning six while scattering five walks and seven hits with the three earned runs allowed. LIU Brooklyn’s Nicole Archer (1-3) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and four walks in 3.2 innings.
Game Changer:
The four-run fourth led the Gamecocks back to start their California trip with a win.
Key Stat:
Sarratt went 2-for-2 with an RBI, also getting the win in the circle.
Notables:
• The Gamecocks’ third run scored on a double steal, as Williams swiped home when freshman Kamryn Watts took second.
• Struett’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly ties her with Laura Mendes (2008-11) in 10th in Gamecock history in that category.
• Page continued her hitting streak to 11 games.
• Two Blackbirds had two hits, Mulholland (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Gloady (2-for-3, RBI), while Archer walked twice.
• Williams went 3-for-4, her career-best day at the plate, while sophomore Victoria Williams drew two walks.
