Gamecocks Open NCAA Tournament With Win Against Elon

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 8 seed South Carolina softball team (41-15) kicked off the NCAA Columbia Regional Friday (May 16) with a 5-2 victory over Elon (33-19).

Arianna Rodi led Carolina with two RBIs on the night, while Karley Shelton led the way with two runs scored.

Elon threatened early with three consecutive hits to start the game that scored one in the top of the first. The Phoenix stranded the remaining two runners after Nealy Lamb struck out three in-a-row to end the inning.

Carolina responded quickly, plating three in the bottom of the frame. Lexi Winters reached on a fielding error, scoring Karley Shelton and Quincee Lilio. Brooke Blankenship followed with a double to center that scored Winters.

Elon tacked on another run with an RBI double in the second to bring the game within one.

Jori Heard (17-3) entered the circle for the Gamecocks with two outs in the second, tossing the remaining 5 1-3 innings of the game. Heard held Elon to just one hit, no runs and six strikeouts, silencing its offensive efforts.

In the third, Arianna Rodi lifted a two-run home run to center, extending her all-time program record of 17 on the season. The homer brought in Shelton and stretched South Carolina to 5-2, which held for the remainder of the game. The home run also set a new program record for runs scored in a season with 339.

The Gamecocks will face the winner of Friday’s game one, North Florida who defeated Virginia 2-1, Saturday at 1 p.m. at Carolina Softball Stadium.

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.