AUSTIN, TEXAS. – The South Carolina softball team had to fight to the end to extend its winning streak, but it improved to 8-0 after beating Louisiana Tech (6-4) 4-3 on Saturday night. Nickie Blue pitched around a number of tight situations to earn her fourth win of the season, and a late-game home run from Kaylea Snaer proved to be the game-winner for the Gamecocks.

With the win, the team matches its best start to a season since 2004.

As the road team, the Gamecocks were able to strike first with two runs in the top of the third. Mackenzie Boesel continued to shine with runners on base, lacing a first-pitch single to score Kenzi Maguire. Victoria Williams followed her up with a RBI groundout to give South Carolina the 2-0 advantage.

The Bulldogs answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning, and score held until Snaer’s big fly in the sixth. Victoria Williams started the inning off by being hit by a pitch, and Snaer knocked out her second home run in as many days on the very first pitch of her at bat to make it a 4-2 game. Tech had a chance to break the game open in its favor in the bottom of the inning thanks to a pair of hits, but Blue worked around the pressure and did not allow a run.

She would need to work her magic again in the seventh, as the Bulldogs put together a pair of one-out singles. After an infield pop-up, Tech cut it to 4-3 on a single up the middle, but Blue’s eighth strikeout of the night shut the door on the win.

GAME CHANGER

Nickie Blue helped secure the win after managing a tricky sixth inning. Two hits to start the inning put runners on the corners with nobody out in a 4-2 game. A groundout to short held the runner at third, and Blue got out number two after throwing home on a groundout. Louisiana Tech appeared to get a run across on a double-steal, but the runner at third was ruled to have left early and was called out to end the inning.

KEY STAT

The Gamecock defense stood up to plenty of pressure in the game, as Louisiana Tech put 15 runners in scoring position but only plated three runs (one earned).

NOTABLE

• The Gamecocks were scheduled to play Indiana earlier in the day, but after the opening game of the day ran long, the matchup was cancelled due to travel issues for the Hoosiers. It will not be made up.
• Junior Kamryn Watts charged up the offense with three hits. She now has two three-hit games for her career — a span of 105 games — with both coming this weekend.
• Nickie Blue made her 142nd career appearance, moving her into a tie for third place in program history. She also passed Melissa Hendon (2007-08) for sixth in career strikeouts, with 428, and moved into the top ten in career complete games (with 43).

Quotable: Head Coach Bev Smith

“I liked that we had to gut out the win tonight. This team displayed the ability to get key outs in pressure situations. We were led by our seniors, Nickie Blue threw an excellent game and Kaylea Snaer had the clutch two-run home run to put us ahead.”

UP NEXT

South Carolina wraps up its weekend tomorrow with a rematch with Louisiana Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. Fans can watch a tape-delayed stream of the game on the Longhorn Network.