COLUMBIA, S.C. - Morgan Dowdy racked up nine strikeouts to punctuate a complete game shutout as Charleston Southern picked up a big out-of-conference win by downing South Carolina, 2-0, in the opener of a doubleheader at Beckham Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Gamecocks bounced back to take the back end of the double dip by an 11-2 count, scoring four runs in the first and multiple times in innings 2-5 to hand Jen Giles a loss.

In the first game, CSU (10-5) scratched out a single run in the first and sixth innings in support of Dowdy, as Stephanie Sbardella rapped an RBI double for the first tally and Linzy Rother continued her hot hitting with a run-scoring single which provided insurance.

Dowdy (6-1) was masterful all day long, yielding just two hits and a pair of walks to a South Carolina lineup which had scored 7 or more runs in four of five contests over a five-game winning streak. It was the fifth complete game in seven starts in the circle this year for Dowdy, who also set a season-high with the nine punch outs.

CSU senior shortstop Megan Lombard forced a full count against South Carolina's Kierstyn White (5-2) leading off the ball game, and took first with a leadoff walk when White missed with the payoff offering. Jessica Brock executed a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position, and Sbardella cashed it in two batters later by clubbing a two-out double to left field for a 1-0 CSU lead.

Jana Matthews jumpstarted the 6th inning rally with a single through the originator, and Sbardella and Kristin Kelleher followed with one-out walks to load the bases. That set the stage for Rother, who stepped into the batter's box and pulled single to left field to plate Matthews and account for the final margin.

White kept the Gamecocks within two runs entering their final turn at-bat, and brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Samie Garcia following a walk. Garcia was no match for Dowdy, however, as the junior right-hander fanned her on a 2-2 pitch to end it.

South Carolina got after it immediately in game two, as each of the first six batters to come to the plate reached based - four scored - to force CSU freshman Jen Giles (2-3) from the circle before she could record an out. Chelsea Hawkins dealt Giles her final blow as she ripped a two-run double to right-center field for a 4-0 South Carolina advantage.

The Bucs picked up their only runs of the second contest in the second and fourth frames, as Lombard hit an RBI single while fellow senior Melissa Adams contributed an RBI double.

Game One Box Score