Feb. 21, 2015
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – South Carolina picked up its 10th win of 2015 with a 6-2 win over Stanford (8-5) in the final game of Friday’s action on Wrigley Field at the Big League Dreams Park in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Gamecocks (10-3) took the lead for good in the third thanks to two Cardinal errors. After a single by senior Sarah Mooney and a ground-rule double by sophomore Victoria Williams, a pair of errors pushed the runs across. First, the Cardinal pitcher couldn’t handle a grounder back to her, letting freshman pinch runner Jordyn Augustus score. The shortstop mishandled the next one, letting Williams score to make it 3-2.
That lead grew to 4-2 on Mooney’s double down the left field line, scoring senior Kristen Struett after her two-out single. Struett’s single in the sixth plated the fifth run, as she followed the bunt hits of fellow outfielders Ansley Ard and Alaynie Page. Mooney hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Page and cap the scoring.
South Carolina took the lead in the first on Williams’ RBI single, scoring Struett after she reached on an error with one away. Stanford claimed the lead briefly with two runs in the third. Leah White singled home the tying run, and Erin Ashby sent a sac fly to left to score the go-ahead run.
Sophomore Nickie Blue (6-1) tossed her second complete game of the tourney, giving up two earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three. Madi Schreyer (2-1) allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits in 3.2 innings in the loss.
Game Changer:
When the Gamecocks bounced back in the third to retake the lead, Blue didn’t let Stanford have another chance, only allowing two runners the rest of the way, both on errors.
Key Stat:
Struett accounted for three of the Gamecocks’ runs (two scored, one RBI) in a 2-for-4 night.
Notables:
• Mooney and Williams both doubled in two-hit outings, with Mooney posting two RBI on the night to Williams’ one.
• Page’s bunt single in the sixth pushed her hitting streak to 13 games.
• South Carolina’s win is its first over Stanford in the third meeting between the teams.
• No Stanford hitter had two hits.
Tweet of the Game:
How we “watch” @GamecockSoftbll at the 408 @lrmasters #BeatsPill #20 #GOCOCKS🐔👏 pic.twitter.com/zHsRYGzDEw
– Cyd Masters (@CydMasters) February 21, 2015
Up Next:
South Carolina takes on No. 21/20 California at 5 p.m. PST on Saturday on the Fenway Park setup at Big League Dreams Park.
