Gamecocks Dominate Panthers in Run-Rule Victory
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina softball team (6-0) started the Carolina Classic off with a dominating performance, as the Gamecocks run-ruled Georgia State (0-6) 13-0 Thursday night (Feb. 13).
Quincee Lilio led Carolina at the dish going 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Brooke Blankenship and Abigail Knight each collected a pair of hits and two RBIs on the night.
In the circle Kadie Becker earned her second win of the season, tossing 3 2-3 shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out two. Sam Gress earned her first save of the season, throwing the final 1 1-3 innings and not allowing a batter to reach.
South Carolina jumped out in front in the bottom of the second. Knight reached on a two-out double and after moving to third on a groundout, she scored when Lilio singled to the shortstop.
The Gamecocks would add two more runs in the third as pinch runner Chloe Lackey scored on a wild pitch and Blankenship brought home Ella Chancey on a sacrifice fly to center.
The flood gates opened in the fourth for Carolina, scoring 10 runs and sending 14 batters to the plate in the inning. The first 12 batters all reached in the inning, starting with three walks. With runners on first and second, Arianna Rodi reached on an infield single, but a throwing error by the GSU shortstop allowed Lilio to score. An error by the Panther’s third baseman allowed another run to score off the bat of Chancey.
Blankenship connected on RBI double and Lexi Winters followed with an RBI single. Knight cleared the bases with a two-run single. A pair of walks to Audrey Wilson and Emily Vinson loaded the bases for Lilio. Down 0-1 in the count, she knocked a triple down the right field line to score all three runners. Karley Shelton capped off the inning with an RBI double to right.
Georgia State’s only threat came in the fourth, putting runners on second and third with one out. After a strikeout by Becker, Gress came on to record another strikeout to end the threat.
The Gamecocks return to the diamond tomorrow (Feb. 14) when they face the Panthers in a rematch at 3:30 p.m., followed by Miami (Ohio) 30 minutes after the conclusion of the GSU game.
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.
