Softball Explodes for 21 runs and Four Home Runs in Victory

MACON, Ga. – An 11-run third inning and four home runs powered the South Carolina softball team to a 21-1 run-rule win over Tennessee Tech Saturday night (Feb. 25). The victory runs the Gamecocks’ winning streak to 12 games.

The 21 runs by Carolina are the most since doing so against Southern Utah on Feb. 26, 2016. As a team, Carolina finish with 16 hits, including three doubles, four home runs and 10 walks. The four home runs are the most by the Gamecocks since hitting four against North Carolina Central (Feb. 19, 2020). Seven different players collected multiple RBIs and 11 different players recorded a hit.

At the dish, the Gamecocks were led by Jordan Fabian and Aniyah Black, each finishing with two hits and four RBIs. Fabian had her first career multi-home run game while scoring four runs. Emma Sellers finished 2-for-2 with three runs and two RBIs. Zoe Laneaux and Brooke Blankenship each collected two hits, as Blankenship racked up three RBIs and Laneaux had two. Jen Cummings and Haley Simpson also finished with two RBIs.

South Carolina got the offense going early, scoring two in the top of the first. Fabian drew a walk to start the game and one out later, Laneaux hit her second home run in as many games, a two-run blast to right-center.

After Tennessee Tech scored a run in the bottom of the first, the Gamecocks responded in the second with three runs. Brooke Blankenship doubled home Sellers, and Cummings doubled home Fabian and Blankenship.

Carolina would plate 11 runs in the third inning, the first time they’ve scored double-digit runs in an inning since scoring 10 against North Carolina Central on February 29, 2020. Nine consecutive batters reached for the Gamecocks to begin the inning. The scoring started on an RBI single from Black. Aaliyah White followed with an RBI double and Blankenship added a two-run single to center. Fabian stepped in an delivered on her first home run of the season, a three-run shot to left-center. After a pair of walks, Simpson brought home two more runs on a single to center. The final runs of the inning came when Sellers singled to center, scoring two.

T-3 | @jerdan_12 goes yard for the first time this season, a 3-run blast!

🐔 12 | 1 🦅#Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/rt1yemghBJ

— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) February 26, 2023

Fabian led off the fourth inning, and on the first pitch, connected on her second home run of the day. Hannah Hawley followed with the first hit of her career. After a single by Giulia Desiderio, Black dug in and on the first pitch, connected on her first home run as a Gamecock.

Carolina’s final run came in the fifth, when Sellers scored on a wild pitch.

Jori Heard earned her second win as she was perfect in three innings of relief, striking out four.

The Gamecocks wrap up the Mercer Bear Invitational tomorrow (Feb. 26) with a doubleheader against Belmont and Tennessee Tech beginning at 10:00 a.m.

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