May 12, 2016
Box Score | SC Quotes – SEC Tourney QF 
MISSISSIPPI STATE, Miss. – South Carolina (36-21) could not post comeback heroics on two straight days, falling to No. 10/9 Tennessee (41-13) in the quarterfinals of the 2016 SEC Softball Tournament at Nusz Park 5-1.
Tennessee claimed a 2-0 lead in the first on Megan Geer’s two-out, two-run home run, scoring Meghan Gregg after she started the rally with a single. South Carolina got one back when sophomore Kamryn Watts poked one through the right side, scoring senior Ansley Ard after she doubled with one out.
The Vols stretched the lead to 4-1 on Shaliyah Geathers’ single to right, scoring two, the second after an obstruction call was made at the plate. One more Tennessee run scored in the sixth on Gregg’s grounder to second to make it 5-1.
Tennessee starter Erin Gabriel (19-6) picked up the win with four innings of work, giving up one earned run on four hits and three walks. She struck out three. Matty Moss picked up her first career save with three perfect innings of relief. Gamecock junior Jessica Elliott (17-9) took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits and two walks in three innings.
Game Changer:
Geer’s two-run homer put Tennessee on top, but the free bases the Gamecocks allowed limited the team’s chance to come back.
Key Stat:
The two Gamecock errors proved to be part of the downfall, with South Carolina now 3-8 when it commits that many defensive miscues.
Notables:
• Gregg went 2-for-3 with a run, a stolen base, an RBI and a walk, while Geer had the two-run homer and two walks in a 1-for-2 day.
• Shaliyah Geathers went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI as well for the Vols.
• Four different Gamecocks had hits: Ard, Watts, junior Kaylea Snaer and freshman Kenzi Maguire.
Up Next:
South Carolina will wait to see its postseason fate on Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament selection show on ESPNU at 10 p.m. EDT. The Gamecocks, if selected for the at-large bid, would be making their 19th appearance and fourth straight under head coach Beverly Smith.
