Gamecocks Take Down Texas A&M in Extra Innings to Open SEC Tournament
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. โ An RBI single by Riley Blampied in the top of the eighth lifted the 10th seeded South Carolina Gamecocks (35-19) to a 1-0 win over 7th seeded Texas A&M (33-19) to open the SEC Softball Tournament Wednesday (May 10).
๐ ๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค
The rain never bothered us anyway. See y’all tomorrow ๐ค pic.twitter.com/cRQKvgOnYd
โ Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) May 11, 2023
Pitching dominated the day as Carolina pitchers limited the Aggies to two infield singles on the day, while the Gamecocks finished with three hits. Gamecock batters were hit five times in the game.
E-6 | @DGobourne14 bringing the ๐ฅ! Two more strikeouts as she send the Aggies down in order again.#FearTheLashes
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โ Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) May 10, 2023
South Carolina put a runner on in all the odd innings. Carolina moved a runner to third in the third and seventh innings with two outs, but each time were unable to bring a run home.
The Gamecocks first hit came in the fifth inning on a two-out double from Giulia Desiderio.
Carolina broke through in the eighth as Emma Sellers was hit to lead off the inning. After stealing second, Jordan Fabian was also hit by a pitch. With two outs and a 3-2 count, Blampied delivered for the Gamecocks, singling through the right side, scoring Sellers from second.
T-8 | @Rileybrooklyn22! And the Gamecocks lead on the RBI single!!
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โ Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) May 10, 2023
And that is when the weather came. First lightning forced the teams off the field as pinch hitter Hannah Hawley was coming to bat. After nearly an hour, the teams left the field as the Gamecocks returned to their hotel. The rain soon followed, pushing the total delay to 4:11 once the two sides came back to resume the game in the top of the eighth.
The Aggies nearly tied the game with the leadoff batter in the bottom of the eighth, but Marissa Gonzalez took away a home run, with a leaping catch down the left field line at the wall.
B-8 | ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐!!! @marissa__12__ with an #SCTop10 Play to start the bottom of the inning, robbing a home run!!
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โ Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) May 11, 2023
Donnie Gobourne walked a pair to put the winning run on first, but got a strikeout, and a fly out to Gonzalez to end the game.
Karsen Ochs started in the circle and went 2 2-3 innings, striking out a batter and allowing just two runners to reach on the infield singles. Gobourne earned her 11th win of the season as she threw the final 5 1-3 innings. At one point, she retired 11 Aggies in-a-row. She did not allow a hit while striking out six and walking three.
The feeling when we’re ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ค#ItJustMeansMore pic.twitter.com/jGiOMChq98
โ Gamecock Softball (@GamecockSoftbll) May 11, 2023
The Gamecocks now turn their attention to No. 2 seed Georgia tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT.
For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitterย @GamecockSoftbll, Facebookย /GamecockSoftball, and Instagramย @GamecockSoftball.
Postgame Press Conference