Jori Heard Throws Perfect Game, No. 22 Gamecocks Win 4-0

ORLANDO, Fla. – Sophomore Jori Heard threw a perfect game to lead the No. 22 South Carolina softball team (17-2) to a 4-0 win over Bethune-Cookman (1-16) Saturday afternoon (March 2) at the Knights Classic.

Heard’s perfect game is the 11th in program history, as she becomes the seventh Gamecock pitcher to earn perfection. It’s the first perfect game for South Carolina since Melissa Hendon against Pittsburgh on March 4, 2007.

Heard rolled through the Wildcat lineup, needing only 73 pitches to retire the minimum 21 batters she faced. She finished the day with four strikeouts, earning her second complete game shutout of the season.

Offensively, the Gamecocks scored a pair of runs in the third and fifth innings. In the third, Carolina took advantage of two errors on the same play, which allowed Marissa Gonzalez to score. Later with two outs, Jen Cummings singled to left center, scoring Riley Blampied from third.

Brooke Blankenship drew a leadoff walk in the fifth and two outs later Cummings was hit by a pitch. Aniyah Black followed by driving home pinch runners Emma Sellers and Giulia Desiderio on a single that went off the third baseman’s glove.

Denver Bryant retired all three batters in the seventh on groundouts to preserve the perfect game.

South Carolina wraps up the Knights Classic tomorrow against Princeton at 9 a.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.