No. 17 Gamecocks Walk It Off Against Paladins

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 17th ranked South Carolina softball team earned a run-rule victory over in-state foe Furman Wednesday night (Feb. 21), as the Gamecocks won 8-0 in six innings. Carolina improves to 9-1 on the season.

Aniyah Black led the Gamecocks at the plate going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Reganne Bennett finished 2-for-2 to improve her average to .857 on the season. Bre Warren ended the night 2-for-3 with two runs scored. In all, six different players drove in a run for Carolina.

Alana Vawter was nearly perfect in the circle, allowing just two base runners to reach on the night, a single in the second and a walk in the fourth. She improved to 2-0 on the season with the complete game shutout. Five of her eight strikeouts on the night came in the fifth and sixth innings. She retired eight straight Paladins to end the game.

South Carolina scored a run in five of the six innings, getting on the scoreboard in the first thanks to a pair of Furman errors. After reaching on an error and advancing on a single by Black, Riley Blampied scored when a grounder by Jen Cummings couldn’t be handled by the Furman first baseman.

In the second, Carolina loaded the bases on a pair of singles by Bennett and Warren, before Kianna Jones reached on a catcher’s interference. With two outs, Black delivered on the first triple of her career over the right fielder’s head to clear the bases.

The Gamecocks scored in the third when Denver Bryant drew a walk and stole second. She would score on Bennett’s single to left center.

Carolina loaded the bases in the fourth but were unable to push across a run. They would add to the lead in the fifth when Warren drew a one-out walk and Brooke Blankenship followed with a single. Jones grounded out to the second baseman, allowing Warren to score from third.

With one out in the sixth, Cummings singled. Pinch runner Carlie Henderson advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Bryant’s RBI single. Bryant stole second and a walk to Zoe Laneaux brought Warren to the plate. She once again delivered for the Gamecocks, doubling over the left fielder’s head, and easily scoring Bryant from second base to end the game.

South Carolina hosts the Gamecocks Invitational this weekend (Feb. 23-25). They will play a doubleheader Friday against UMass at 3 p.m. followed by James Madison at 5:30 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.