Gamecocks Split First Day Of Black And Garnet Challenge
Carolina closes day with win over Charlotte
COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 16 South Carolina softball split its first day of the Black and Garnet Challenge on Saturday at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Carolina closed the day with a 10-0 run-rule victory over Charlotte after a tough 2-1 defeat at the hands of Troy.
Karly Heath (3-0) went the distance in the second game as she allowed just one hit with eight strikeouts in her five innings of work. Katie Prebble and Kenzi Maguire paced the Gamecocks at the plate as the pair combined for four hits and seven RBI.
The loss to the Trojans in the morning snapped a 28-game home tournament winning streak for the Gamecocks and was their first since 2015.
CAROLINA 10 CHARLOTTE 0 (FIVE INNINGS) – RECAP
South Carolina responded well after a frustrating loss with a commanding 10-0 run-rule victory in five innings over Charlotte. Carolina posted 12 hits and drew five free bases on its way to the strong finish.
The Gamecocks opened the scoring in the first thanks to Lauren Stewart’s single up the middle to score Kenzi Maguire. Katie Prebble later knocked home Stewart to give the Garnet and Black a 2-0 advantage after one.
Carolina followed up the first with a six-run second inning thanks to Maguire’s two-run homer, Prebble’s three-run homer and Madison Owens’ two-out double as the Gamecocks led 8-0 through two.
The home team tacked on another in the third thanks to Haley Simpson’s first career home run to make it 9-0 through three before Maguire’s RBI single in the fourth gave Carolina the 10-0 lead it wouldn’t surrender.
Karly Heath (3-0) was dominant in the circle as she didn’t allow Charlotte’s first hit until one out in the fifth.
Maguire and Simpson both finished 3-for-3 at the plate.
CAROLINA 1 TROY 2 – RECAP
South Carolina had a frustrating start to the day as Troy walked away with its second win of the afternoon thanks to the 2-1 victory.
The Trojan offense consisted of a two-run home run in the top of the fifth to take a 2-0 lead. Carolina score its lone run of the afternoon in the bottom of the fifth thanks to the Kenzi Maguire single but it wasn’t enough as Troy snapped Carolina 28-game home tournament winning streak.
Maguire and Jana Johns had the two hits in the game for Carolina.
UP NEXT
Carolina concludes the Black and Garnet Challenge on Sunday with a 12:30 PM first pitch against Charlotte and 3:00 PM game against Troy. Both games will be on SECN+ with live stats available for all three games.
