Gamecocks Take Two Games To Open Weekend

COLUMBIA, S.C. —- Kassidy Krupit finished a combined 6-for-8 at the plate with nine RBI as No. 18 South Carolina swept a pair of games against Seton Hall and Longwood on Friday to open the Gamecock Invitational at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Carolina run-ruled Seton Hall, 11-3, in five innings before it closed the day with a 14-6 run-rule win over Longwood in six innings.
 
Krupit blasted two home runs, one in each game, on her way to a 1.500 slugging percentage on the day with a .778 on-base percentage. In four games this week she’s brought home a team-best 11 RBI with a 1.091 slugging percentage in 11 at-bats.
 
Carlie Henderson continued her impressive start to the year, as well, going 5-for-8 with a run and two RBI between the two games. Zoe Laneaux wasn’t far behind with a 4-for-8 day with two RBI and two doubles.
 
The Gamecocks (6-1) outscored the Pirates and Lancers 25-9 in 11 innings of work.
 
SOUTH CAROLINA 11 | SETON HALL 3 (FIVE INNINGS) – RECAP
South Carolina posted five runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back on its way to a commanding 11-3 run-rule victory over Seton Hall in five innings to open the day. Katie Prebble and Jordan Fabian both hit home runs in the frame as Carolina had four hits go for extra bases in the first.
 
Carolina continued the scoring in the second and third with two more runs in each frame before Carlie Henderson put the ball in play in the bottom of the fifth to bring across the crucial run that sealed the run-rule victory.
 
Prebble shined at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Kassidy Krupit was 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Zoe Laneaux, in her first career start, went 2-for-3 with a run.
 
Bailey Betenbaugh (2-0) earned the win in the circle in 3.0 innings of work.
 
SOUTH CAROLINA 14 | LONGWOOD 6 (SIX INNINGS) – RECAP
The Gamecocks spotted the Lancers three runs in the top of the first but didn’t panic and instead posted double-digit runs for the fourth time this season in a 14-6 victory over Longwood to close the first day of the Gamecock Invitational.
 
Kassidy Krupit posted a career-best six RBI in the game on a 4-for-4 night. Kenzi Maguire notably went 2-for-3 with four runs and three RBI. Zoe Laneaux finished with two RBI, as well.
 
Carolina scored three runs in the first, and two in the second to take a 5-3 lead through two. The Lancers tied the game in the third, but the Gamecocks scored nine runs over the final three innings to secure the run-rule victory.
 
Karsen Ochs (2-0) earned the victory in 3.0 innings of work.

NOTES

• Carlie Henderson has started her career hitting 13-for-20 (.650) with eight runs and three RBI. She has three doubles and two triples with a 1.000 slugging percentage.
• Mackenzie Boesel reached base in both games on Friday. Dating back to last season, she’s now reached base in 26-straight games.
• Jordan Fabian can’t seem to miss the ball this year. She’s been hit seven times in her six games played. She also has three hits, two of which are home runs.
• South Carolina is now an incredible 30-0 over the past seven seasons in the Gamecock Invitational.
• The Gamecocks improved to 339-222 in 11 seasons under head coach Beverly Smith.