Rodi Sets Home Run Record in Second Round SEC Win

ATHENS, Ga. – Arianna Rodi hit a pair of home runs to lift No. 14/12 South Carolina (40-14) past No. 20/16 Alabama (37-21) 6-2 Wednesday night (May 7) in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

Rodi finished her night 3-for-4 with four RBIs and her first multi-home run game of the season. Karley Shelton and Ella Chancey both added two hits, while Chaney drove in two runs and Shelton scored three times.

Alabama jumped out in front in the first, scoring their only runs of the night. The Gamecocks fought back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first when Shelton scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Chancey.

In the third, Chancey again delivered with a double to right center, scoring Lexi Winters to tie the game.

Rodi broke the tie in the fifth. After a leadoff single by Shelton, Rodi connected on a 235-foot home run to left center. Later in the inning, Chancey knocked her second double of the night for the 200th hit of her career.

It was Rodi again in the sixth, connected on another two-run home run for her 16th of the season. The home run set a new single-season program record she held with Jana Johns (2019) and Alaynie Page (2015). She became the first Gamecock to hit two home runs in an SEC Tournament game. After Rodi’s home run, Winters stepped in a connected on her 100th career hit.

After Alabama scored in the top of the first, Sam Gress and Jori Heard combined to allow only two base runners over the final six innings, retiring 16 of the last 18 batters. Heard (16-3) earned the win in relief, allowing one hit and striking out four in three innings. Gress tossed the first four innings, scattering four hits and a strikeout.

Carolina will face No. 2 seed Texas A&M tomorrow at approximately 8 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.