Gamecocks Take Down Auburn To Close Opening Weekend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —– No. 19 South Carolina softball closed its weekend at the Dolphin Invitational with a 6-5 victory over Auburn on Sunday at UNF. Carolina scored six runs through the first three innings and outlasted the Tiger comeback effort as the Gamecocks finished the weekend with a 2-1 record to start the 2021 season.
 
Karsen Ochs (1-0) earned the win in the circle with a complete-game performance in which she allowed just two earned runs in 30 faced batters. Mackenzie Boesel shined at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. She blasted her first home run of the year and showed her speed with a double.
 
Kenzi Maguire and Kassidy Krupit produced with two RBI each, as well.
 
The victory over Auburn will not count toward SEC standings.
 
Carolina started the scoring early with Boesel’s two-run blast two batters into the game to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead. The Garnet and Black posted two more runs in the third as Krupit doubled down the line in right to score Katie Prebble and Boesel to give the Gamecocks a 4-1 lead through three.
 
South Carolina wasn’t done scoring as Maguire’s double down the line in right in the top of the fourth pushed the lead to 6-1 through four.
 
Auburn (5-1) scored four runs over the course of the final three innings, but it wasn’t enough as the Gamecocks finished the tournament with the win.
 
Carolina posted nine hits with four going for extra bases.
 
NOTABLE

• Mackenzie Boesel blasted a two-run home run in the top of the first. That’s now 29 in her career, which is tied for third most in program history alongside Kaylea Snaer.
• Carlie Henderson shined this weekend going 5-for-7 (.714) with three runs and an RBI.
• Kassidy Krupit led the way at the plate with seven RBI and a home run to go along with her 5-for-11 (.455) weekend.
• The pitching trio of Kelsey Oh, Karsen Ochs and Bailey Betenbaugh combined for a 1.33 ERA and three complete games. They finished with just four earned runs allowed with 12 strikeouts and just four walks.
• Carolina is now 335-222 in 11 seasons under head coach Beverly Smith.

UP NEXT
No. 19 South Carolina softball will play host to Coastal Carolina on Wednesday night for a doubleheader set to start at 2:00 p.m. ET. Live stats will be provided through gamecocksonline.com while the game will stream on SECN+ with student broadcasters on the call.
 
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check back with gamecocksonline.com.