Gamecocks Earn Run-Rule Victory Over Presbyterian
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team earned a walk-off run-rule victory Wednesday night (Mar. 15), over in-state foe Presbyterian 9-1. The victory moves the Gamecocks to 23-4 on the season.
Brooke Blankenship was perfect at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Riley Blampied ended her night 2-for-3 with three RBIs. In all, seven different players collected a hit, and five different players drove in a run.
The Gamecock pitching staff was dominant all night combining for six strikeouts, while allowing one hit and an unearned run. Jori Heard improved to 6-0 on the season as she threw three near perfect innings of relief, striking out four and walking two. Leah Powell started in the circle and allowed one hit, a double in the third, and two strikeouts.
The Gamecocks wasted no time jumping out to the lead as Jordan Fabian hammered a 2-1 pitch down the left field line and on to the track for her sixth home run of the season.
B-1 | 𝐍𝐎 𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐓 from @jerdan_12! 👋
🐔 1 | 0 🔵 pic.twitter.com/J9Jl288FVS
— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) March 15, 2023
In the second, Carolina pushed across five runs. A pair of doubles by Blankenship and Blampied brought in two runs each, and Blampied later scored on a wild pitch.
South Carolina added a run in the fourth as Jen Cummings led off the inning with a triple. Pinch runner Kyye Ricks scrambled home on a single up the middle by Blampied.
Carolina ended it in the bottom of the sixth after back-to-back leadoff singles by Blankenship and Natalie Morgan. A wild pitch moved the runners up 60 feet, allowing Blankenship to score on a sacrifice fly by Jen Cummings. After a walk to Blampied, Morgan put the run-rule into effect when she scored on Zoe Laneaux’s sacrifice fly to left.
The Gamecocks walk it off! @zoe_laneaux with the sac fly to score @nat__morgan.#Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/VgyChHSMfn
— Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) March 16, 2023
The win was the 10th run-rule victory of the season for the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks return to action March 17 to kick off a three-game SEC series at Mississippi State.
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.
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