Prebble Homers in Third Straight Game, Betenbaugh Throws Two-Hit Shutout

CONWAY, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team rolled through its second day of the Battle at the Beach, as the Gamecocks defeated Marshall 7-3 and Fordham 8-0. The team improved its record to 7-2 on the year.
 
Riley Blampied led the Gamecocks on the day, going 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. Maddie Gallagher, Jordan Fabian, Hannah Kumiyama, and Emma Sellers each finished with a pair of hits. Sellers and Katie Prebble led the team with three RBIs on the day, while Prebble also led the team with three runs scored.
 
Game 1
The Gamecocks jumped all over the Thundering Herd in the morning game, scoring three runs in the top of the second. Sellers’ suicide squeeze bunt allowed Blampied to score, and a throwing error by the Marshall third baseman also allowed Aaliyah White to score on the play. One out later, Gallagher delivered an RBI single, scoring Sellers from third.
 
Carolina would add a run in the top of the third on an RBI double by Blampied. Marshall’s only runs of the game would come in the bottom of the frame on a two-out, three-run home run.
 
The Gamecocks followed suit in the seventh. After a leadoff single by Fabian, Kassidy Krupit was hit by a pitch. Prebble stepped in and with a 3-2 count, blasted a three-run home run, for her third round-tripper in as many games.
 
Karsen Ochs earned her first win of the season, throwing four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Rachel Vaughan came in during the fifth inning with the tying run on base, and escaped the jam. Vaughan earned her first career save as she pitched three scoreless innings, while scattering three hits.
 
Game 2
The Gamecock bats stayed hot in the second game of the day, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. Gallagher led off the inning with a walk and one out later, came all the way around from first to score on a single by Kumiyama. After a walk to Prebble and a single by Blampied, Sellers singled up the middle, scoring Prebble and Vaughan, who was pinch running. Blampied also scored on the play when the first baseman’s throw to third sailed wide. White grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Sellers to score for the final run of the inning. 
 
Starting pitcher Bailey Betenbaugh pitched out of her only jam of the day in the fourth, when the Rams loaded the bases with one out. 
 
South Carolina put the run rule into effect by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth, all coming with two outs. Carlie Henderson singled and Gallagher brought her home on a double down the left field line. Fabian stepped in and on the first pitch she saw, promptly deposited the ball over the center field wall for her first home run of the season. 
 
Betenbaugh improved to 2-0 on the season with the complete game shutout. She allowed only two hits while striking out five.
 
The Gamecocks wrap up of the Battle at the Beach tournament when they face host Coastal Carolina tomorrow, February 20, at 12:15 p.m.

For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecockSoftball.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.