Gamecocks Take Two On Sunday
Hannah Kumiyama's first career home run highlights the day
COLUMBIA, S.C. —- No. 16 South Carolina softball closed the Black and Garnet Challenge with a perfect Sunday highlighted with a 5-2 walk-off victory over Troy at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. After Carolina defeated Charlotte 10-7 in its first game of the day, freshman Hannah Kumiyama stepped to the plate in a two-out, pinch-hit situation in the bottom of the seventh and blasted a three-run home run to centerfield to secure the win over the Trojans.
With the wins, the Gamecocks improved to 3-1 on the weekend and 4-1 on the week as they outscored opponents 31-14 over that stretch.
The heroic home run for Kumiyama was her first career walk-off hit, the team’s fourth of the year and her first career homer.
CAROLINA 5 TROY 2 – RECAP
South Carolina (14-4) found itself in a battle with one of the tougher non-ranked foes in the country in a 5-2 victory over Troy. Freshman Hannah Kumiyama, in a pinch-hit situation with two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, blasted the third pitch she saw over the wall in centerfield to secure the doubleheader sweep.
It was a battle of pitching early on as both teams traded scoreless innings through three. The scoring opened in the top of the fourth as Troy lifted a two-run homer to take a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom frame. The Carolina deficit was short lived, though, as Madison Owens launched a two-run home run of her own to tie it up at 2-2 through four.
From there, scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth set up the eventual Kumiyama home run to send the Garnet and Black home smiling.
Owens finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI while Kumiyama had three RBI.
Fellow freshman Bailey Betenbaugh (2-0) earned the win in the circle going all seven innings with just four hits allowed and four strikeouts.
CAROLINA 10 CHARLOTTE 7 – RECAP
South Carolina opened the day with a 10-7 win over Charlotte to complete the perfect weekend against the 49ers. Led by former Gamecock standout Ashley Chastain, the 49ers never backed down but the Carolina offense proved to be too much as the Gamecocks pushed forward to victory after a disappointing finish to Saturday.
Carolina opened the contest in style with five runs through the first two innings thanks to Kassidy Krupit, Madison Owens, Jana Johns and Mackenzie Boesel RBI as the Garnet and Black led 5-0 through two.
A scoreless third for both was followed with two Charlotte runs in the top of the fourth before Boesel and Hannah Kumiyama RBI in the bottom frame made it 7-2 through four. The 49ers responded again with a four-run fifth, and with Katie Prebble’ three-run homer in the bottom frame the score stood at 10-6 through five full.
Charlotte got one run back in the top of the seventh but it wasn’t enough as Carolina took the game with a 10-7 win.
Karly Heath (4-0) earned the win in the circle, going four innings with seven strikeouts. Karsen Ochs (1) earned her first career save, as well.
At the plate Boesel and Owens finished 2-for-3 while Prebble had three RBI. Krupit and Boesel had two RBI.
