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Gamecocks Defeat Georgia, Advance to SEC Tournament Semifinals
Softball  . 

Gamecocks Defeat Georgia, Advance to SEC Tournament Semifinals

Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The South Carolina softball team (36-19) did it again on day two of the SEC Tournament, taking down No. 2 seed and 13th ranked Georgia (39-13) 2-1 in eight innings Thursday night (May 11). Carolina advances to the semifinals for the first time since 2018.

It was a similar storyline on the second day as it was the first, the Gamecocks found clutch hitting in the extra frame, a spectacular game-saving catch from Marissa Gonzalez, and lock down pitching from Donnie Gobourne.

A pitching duel was brewing between the Gamecocks and Bulldogs early on, but Georgia struck first with a solo home run in the bottom of the third.

The Gamecocks hammered back in the top of the fourth when Riley Blampied connected on her seventh home run of the season to left-center.

The Bulldogs got doubles in the fifth and sixth innings, but Gobourne was able to pitch out of the jam both times, including back-to-back strikeouts in the fifth.

For the second straight night, the Gamecock offense would come through in the top of the eighth. With one out, Haley Simpson broke her bat on a single to left. Simpson would try to score on a single to left by Emma Sellers, but was thrown out at the plate. Down to their final out, Brooke Blankenship delivered with a single to right, scoring Sellers from second and giving South Carolina the lead.

The job was not done however, as Gobourne had to face the Bulldogs one final time. After getting a strikeout and a foul out to start the inning, Georgia put the tying run on with a single to center. The Gamecocks intentionally walked Georgia’s cleanup hitter, bringing Jaiden Fields to the plate. Gobourne turned on the juice one final time, getting Fields to go down swinging, sending the Carolina dugout pouring out onto the field in celebration.

Bailey Betenbaugh started and threw three innings, allowing one run on one hit. Gobourne earned her 12th win of the season, pitching the final five innings in relief. She allowed four hits while striking out eight.

The Gamecocks now face 3rd seeded Auburn in the semifinals tomorrow at 3 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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

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