Gamecocks Make it 14 Straight Wins With Sunday Sweep

MACON, Ga. – The South Carolina softball team improved its win steak to 14 Sunday afternoon (Feb. 26), as the Gamecocks defeated Belmont 5-4, and Tennessee Tech 10-2 in six innings.

On the day, Jordan Fabian led the way going 4-for-5 with two home runs, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Jen Cummings and Aniyah Black each went 3-for-5, with Cummings driving in four runs. Riley Blampied finished 4-for-7 with two RBIs. Giulia Desiderio and Aaliyah White each collected two hits and two RBIs.

GAME 1

The Gamecocks jumped out to the early lead when Fabian led off the bottom of the first with her third home run of the season. The Bruins would get that run back in the top of the second with two outs.

Belmont pushed ahead in the fourth on a two-out, three-run home run. In the fifth with two outs, Brooke Blankenship walked, and Fabian singled up the middle to bring Cummings to the plate. On a 1-1 pitch, Cummings connected on her third home run of the season to dead center.

South Carolina scored again with two outs in the sixth to take the lead. Aniyah Black doubled to right-center and Aaliyah White brought Marissa Gonzalez, who was running for Black, around to score on a double to left-center.

Donnie Gobourne shut the Bruins down in her three innings of relief, earning her third win of the season. She recorded all nine outs on strikeouts and did not allow a hit.

GAME 2

It was a similar start for South Carolina in the second game, jumping out to an early lead. The Gamecocks scored four runs in the first inning. Fabian led off with a single and scored on a double from Blampied. She scored on a single by Black, who then scored on a double by Gonzalez. White Followed with a single to center, scoring Gonzalez.

With one out in the second, Fabian connected on her fourth home run in the last three games, a solo shot to right-center. The Gamecocks added to the lead in the third with three runs, all of which came with two outs. Down 0-1 in the count, Desiderio connected on her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left. Blankenship walked, stole second, then scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error by the catcher. The final run of the inning came when Fabian scored on a single by Cummings.

The Golden Eagles extended the game in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs with two outs. South Carolina got a run back in the bottom half of the inning as Blampied singled to score Hannah Hawley, who had doubled.

The Gamecocks put the game away in the sixth, coming through again with two outs. Aaliyah White was hit by a pitch and stole second. Desiderio brought her home on a single to left-center, and enforcing the run-rule.

Bailey Betenbaugh improved her record to 5-1 on the season as she struck out three and allowed only one base runner, a single in the third, in four innings of work.

South Carolina returns home for a busy week of six games that begins with Stetson on February 28 at 6 p.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.