No. 12 Softball Scores 15 Runs to take Down Syracuse

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The offense for 12th ranked South Carolina softball (1-1) torched visiting Syracuse (0-2) for 15 runs Friday afternoon (Feb. 6), as the Gamecocks took down the Orange 15-2 in a five-inning run-rule victory on day two of the Gamecock Invitational.

South Carolina finished the night with 12 hits, including four doubles, four hit by pitches, and a home run. Quincee Lilio, Kai Byars, Karley Shelton, and Arianna Rodi all finished with two hits. Rodi led the way with three RBIs, while five different players collected two RBIs.

Carolina came out of the gate strong, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. Arianna Rodi connected on South Carolina’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot to straight away center. The Gamecocks loaded the bases as two runners scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Jamie Mackay.

Shae Anderson turned an inning-ending double play to get Carolina out of a jam in the second. In the bottom half of the frame, the Gamecocks would push across three more runs. Rodi drove home Anderson on a single to right center. Tate Davis followed with a double to right center, scoring Lilio and pinch runner Dakota Potter.

Josey Marron came on to pitch for South Carolina in the third and escaped a bases loaded situation by getting a strikeout to end the inning.

Six more runs came home for Carolina in the bottom of the third. Lilio led off the scoring with an RBI single and Shelton followed with an RBI double. After a walk to Rodi, Alyssa Hovermale brought home another run on a single. Tori Ensley delivered a two-run double to bring home Rodi and Byars capped off the inning with a two-run single.

Syracuse got two runs back in the top of the fourth, but the Gamecocks answered quickly in their half of the inning. After a leadoff walk to Lilio, Shelton hit her second double of the day to bring her home. An error by the Orange moved Shelton to third, where she scored on a groundout by Hovermale.

Marron earned her first win of the reason, tossing two innings and scattering five hits with a strikeout. She came on in relief of starting pitcher Emma Friedel who tossed the first two innings where she allowed one hit and struck out one. Ansley Bennett came on to make her first collegiate appearance in the fifth and didn’t allow a hit.

South Carolina will have a rematch with No. 19 Virginia Tech Saturday at 5:30 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.