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Softball Sweeps No. 23 Texas A&M on Run-Rule Walk-Off Win
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Softball Sweeps No. 23 Texas A&M on Run-Rule Walk-Off Win

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team (30-12, 7-8) completed its SEC sweep over No. 23 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon (Apr. 16), with an 8-0 run-rule walk-off win. It’s Carolina’s first SEC series sweep over a ranked opponent since taking down No. 23 Mississippi State April 27-29, 2018.

Before the game, Carolina honored over 40 softball alumnae in attendance. Two-time All-American Pat Dufficy threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Aniyah Black led the Gamecocks going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, two home runs, and a double. Giulia Desiderio drove in a pair of runs while Jordan Fabian scored twice. Zoe Laneaux recorded her sixth consecutive hit of the series in the first inning.

South Carolina got it started early, scoring in the bottom of the first. With one out, Laneaux singled to right. After a groundout moved her to second, Laneaux scored on Black’s double to the left-center gap.

The Gamecocks broke the game open in the third. Fabian greeted the new Aggie pitcher by crushing the second pitch of the inning over the center field wall for her team-leading eighth home run of the season. Two outs later, Black connected on her first home run of the day, and fifth of the season, a solo shot to left.

Jen Cummings and Brooke Blankenship followed by drawing back-to-back walks. After a double steal put runners on second and third, Giulia Desiderio reached on an infield single to the shortstop, allowing both runners to score.

Carolina loaded the bases in the fifth but were unable to push across a run as the game moved into the sixth. The Gamecocks were able to put the run-rule into effect when Hannah Hawley pinch hit to lead off the inning and was hit by a pitch. Fabian drew a walk and after a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Black came to the dish with a chance to end it. On the third pitch of her at-bat, Black left no doubt as she clobbered the pitch over the wall in left-center, sending the Carolina dugout onto the field in celebration with their brooms.

Donnie Gobourne earned her eighth win of the season in the circle, throwing a complete game two-hit shutout, while striking out seven Aggies. For the weekend, the Gamecock pitchers allowed just two runs on 10 hits in 20 innings. It’s only the second time this season Texas A&M has been shutout in back-to-back games, the other came against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 UCLA, which they combined for 10 hits in those two games.

It’s the first time in program history the Gamecocks swept a ranked SEC opponent while being unranked. It’s the first SEC series win for Carolina while being unranked since sweeping Ole Miss April 29-30, 2014.

South Carolina closes out its non-conference season when it hosts Charleston Southern for a doubleheader April 19, starting at 3 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.

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