No. 19 Gamecocks Win Series Opener at No. 8 Duke

DURHAM, N.C. – The 19th ranked South Carolina softball team (17-0) took the first game of the series against No. 8 Duke (14-4) 14-7 Friday night (Feb. 28).

Eight of Carolina’s starters finished the game with a hit, while five players had two hits, Abigail Knight led the way with four RBIs, while Karley Shelton and Arianna Rodi each drove in three. Shelton led the team with three runs scored. Shelton extended her on-base streak to 15 games. Quincee Lilio extended her on-base streak to 17 games and hitting streak to 16 games. Ella Chancey also extended her on-base streak to 17 games.

The Blue Devils took the lead in the bottom of the first, scoring a run with two outs. The second time through the lineup, South Carolina’s bats came alive, scoring six runs in the third inning, all with two outs. A Lilio double was followed by a wild pitch, allowing pinch runner Nia McKnight to score. After a walk, Rodi went opposite field for a three-run home run, her sixth of the season. Back-to-back singles from Chancey and Brooke Blankenship knocking reigning National Pitcher of the Week Cassidy Curd out of the game. The bases were loaded when Lexi Winters was hit by a pitch and Knight brought home Chancey and Blankenship on a single up the middle.

Duke got a solo home run in the bottom of the third and added two more runs in the fourth to pull the score to 6-4.

The Gamecocks weren’t done yet, as in the seventh they scored eight runs to put the game away. Three straight singles from Winters, Knight, and Heath pushed across five runs. Shelton put the exclamation point on the night with a full count three-run home run.

Nealy Lamb started for Carolina in the circle, she allowed four runs on five hits and struck out five in three innings of work in the no-decision. Jori Heard earned the win in relief to improve to 9-0 on the season. She struck out two in 3 1-3 innings while allowed three runs on seven hits.

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.