Gamecocks Open Longhorn Invitational with 9-4 Win Over Texas

AUSTIN, TEXAS. – Nickie Blue tossed 4.1 innings of scoreless relief and Alyssa VanDerveer drove in four runs as South Carolina posted a 9-4 victory over the Texas Longhorns on Friday afternoon in the first of five games for the Gamecocks this weekend in the Longhorn Invitational. Carolina extended its season-opening winning streak to six games with the victory.

VanDerveer led an 11-hit attack with a double and triple, and added a pair of run-producing walks in the contest. Kamryn Watts contributed three hits and scored twice, while Krystan White drove in three runs. Kaylea Snaer and Kenzi Maguire each added a pair of hits.

The Gamecocks (6-0) jumped out in front with a run in the top of the second. After VanDerveer’s tripled off the right-centerfield wall, Tiarra Duffy came through with two-out double to center, scoring VanDerveer with the game’s first run.

The Gamecocks added two more in the third, taking advantage of a Longhorn miscue. With two outs and a runner at first, Kaylea Snaer hit a foul pop that should have ended the frame. Inexplicitly, the ball dropped harmlessly at the feet of the Longhorn second baseman, extending Snaer’s at bat. She took advantage, roping a double down the left field line. VanDerveer followed with a two-run double off the leftfield wall, extending Carolina’s lead to 3-0.

Texas (5-3) rallied in their half of the third, batting around in a four-run frame to take a 4-3 lead. The Longhorns collected six hits in the inning to chase Gamecock starter Jessica Elliott. Elliott surrendered seven hits and four runs with a pair of walks and a strikeout in 2.2 innings of work.

The Longhorns lead was short-lived as Carolina rallied for a three-spot of its own in the fourth. A throwing error, hit batsman, and back-to-back walks to Snaer and VanDerveer knotted the score at 4, then Krystan White delivered a two-run, two-out single off the base of the centerfield wall to put the Gamecocks back on top to stay, 6-4.

Carolina took advantage of some wildness in the circle to break the game open in a three-run fifth. After a leadoff walk to Taylor Williams, Maguire and Watts singled to load the bases. Mackenzie Boesel, VanDeveer and White followed with run-scoring walks to give the Gamecocks a five-run cushion.

Blue (3-0) did the rest, retiring 13 of the 15 batters she faced with one walk and one strikeout. Texas starter Tiarra Davis (0-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing six hits and six runs, three earned, in 3.2 innings.

GAMECHANGER

Krystan White broke a 4-4 tie with a bases loaded, two-run single on a 3-2 pitch in the top of the fourth inning and the Gamecocks never looked back.

KEY STAT

Nickie Blue tossed 4.1 innings of one-hit relief, retiring 13 of the 15 batters she faced to earn the win.

NOTABLE

• The Gamecocks ran their season-opening winning streak to six games.
• This afternoon’s game was the first of five games for the Gamecocks in Austin.
• The Gamecocks collected a season-high 11 hits in the contest.
• The Gamecocks have not committed an error yet this season.