April 2, 2017
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina (22-14, 2-9 SEC) fell in Sunday’s contest against No. 7/5 Texas A&M (31-3, 9-2 SEC) by a 16-0 score in five innings.
The Aggies claimed a 1-0 lead in the first with doubles by Tori Vidales and Riley Sartain, Sartain driving home Vidales. Texas A&M broke the game open with a eight-run second. Vidales doubled again, this time driving in two, a batter after Keeli Milligan tallied an RBI single. After a walk loaded the bases, Sartain was hit to force in a run. A walk and a sacrifice fly followed, while Ashley Walters doubled in another run. Samantha Show got an RBI on a groundout to end the scoring in the inning.
The Gamecocks had a chance to score in the bottom of the second, getting a leadoff walk from junior catcher Alyssa VanDerveer and hits by outfielders Kennedy Clark and Tiara Duffy. But the lead runner was thrown out trying to score on Duffy’s hit, and a fly out ended the inning.
After South Carolina held Texas A&M scoreless in the third, the Aggies responded with a four-run fourth. Walters knocked her second double, driving in a run, while Show followed with a three-run homer. Three more runs scored for Texas A&M in the fifth on Kelbi Fortenberry’s fielder’s choice and Erica Russell’s two-run blast.
Show (12-2) picked up the five-inning shutout win, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out three. Gamecock freshman Cayla Drotar (4-2) took the loss, tossing three-plus innings and allowing 10 earned runs on 10 hits and six walks.
Game Changer
Four walks in the second helped Texas A&M put up the eight runs.
Key Stat
For the second straight day, the Gamecock pitchers issued 10 walks.
Notables
The Aggies recorded six doubles, getting two each from Vidales and Walters.
Vidales and Russell both had three hits, two runs and two RBI.
Walters and Milligan had two hits each, with Walters adding two runs and two RBI.
Show helped herself with two runs and four RBI.
Clark had two of the Gamecocks’ hits, adding a fifth-inning double.
Up Next
The series concludes at 7 p.m. EDT on Monday, with the game showing live on the SEC Network.
