Henderson and Blankenship Lead Gamecocks to Victory Over Colonials

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team made it six victories in-a-row Saturday afternoon (Feb. 18) as the Gamecocks defeated George Washington 7-1.

Carlie Henderson and Brooke Blankenship led the Gamecocks at the dish, each going 2-for-3. Blankenship drove in a pair of runs, while Henderson drove in one and scored twice. Emma Sellers also scored two runs.

The scoring started for Carolina in the second, when Blankenship brought home Sellers on a single to right. Henderson then scored on Aaliyah White’s RBI groundout to short.

In the third, the Gamecocks nearly batted around, scoring four runs. After Riley Blampied reached on an error, she came around to score when Jordan Fabian doubled down the left field line. Marissa Gonzalez walked, and one out later, Henderson brought home Fabian with a single to center. After the Colonials made a visit to the circle, Blankenship delivered an RBI single down the right field line, scoring Gonzalez. Carolina capped off the inning when Henderson scored on a wild pitch.

South Carolina’s final run came in the fifth inning when it loaded the bases. After Gonzalez reached on an error, Aniyah Black earned her first hit as a Gamecock, and Haley Simpson walked. Freshman Hannah Hawley earned the first RBI of her collegiate career when she was hit by a pitch, scoring Sellers.

The lone George Washington run came in the top of the seventh with two outs.

Starting pitcher Rachel Vaughan was perfect through three innings, striking out a pair of hitters. Karsen Ochs earned her second victory of the season, allowing one hit in two innings of work. Jori Heard threw the final two innings, allowing a run on two hits and striking out two.

The Gamecocks wrap up the Carolina Classic Sunday with a doubleheader against Western Kentucky and Campbell beginning 3 p.m.