Gamecocks Take Down Furman In Midweek
COLUMBIA, S.C. —- Kennedy Clark blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to give No. 16 South Carolina softball some breathing room in a 9-7 victory over Furman on Wednesday night at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Carolina scored multiple runs in three different innings to help Karly Heath remain undefeated in the circle this season.
Carolina led from start to finish as Clark blasted a home run and double while Mackenzie Boesel sent two doubles to the gap to help the Gamecocks to their 21st-consecutive non-conference win.
With the win, Carolina has taken the last eight games of the series over Furman.
South Carolina (29-11, 5-9 SEC) opened up the scoring early against a Paladins squad that came into the game looking to break a three-game losing streak.
The Gamecocks scored three in the first inning thanks to a Furman (10-26, 2-7 SoCon) error in the field and two RBI off an Alyssa Kumiyama single to take a 3-0 lead after one.
The scoring continued in the third as Furman added two runs of its own in the top of the third to cut the Carolina lead to 3-2 through three.
South Carolina responded in a big way in the fourth with four more runs. Boesel doubled to score two before Clark doubled two batters later to extend the lead to 6-2. Cayla Drotar later doubled to score Clark to make it 7-2 Gamecocks heading to the fifth.
Furman showed fight, though, and plated four in the fifth to cut the Gamecock lead to 7-6 heading to the sixth.
Clark blasted her sixth home run of the year in the bottom of the sixth to score two and make it 9-6 in favor of the home team with three outs to go.
Furman added one final run in the seventh but it wasn’t enough as Carolina shut the door for the 9-7.
Heath (8-0) earned the win in four innings of work with four strikeouts. Dixie Raley (3) earned the save in an inning of action with a strikeout.
Boesel and Clark had multi-hit performances while Clark scored three runs and plated three of her own.
NOTES
- Carolina had four doubles tonight as a team. This marks the second time in the last three games the Gamecocks have done so.
- The Gamecocks have now won 21-straight non-conference games.
- Following tonight’s game, Mackenzie Boesel has reached base in 21-straight non-conference games.
- Speaking of Mackenzie Boesel. Kennedy Clark and Boesel are tied for the most multi-RBI games in non-SEC games with eight.
- Carolina has won three-consecutive games heading into the SEC weekend.
