COLUMBIA, S.C. – Charleston Southern opened the scoring in a Wednesday doubleheader at South Carolina, but the Gamecocks swept both games from the visiting Bucs at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
South Carolina won the first game, 9-2, and won the second game in run-rule fashion, 8-0, in five innings.
Ashley Meckley accounted for both of Charleston Southern's runs batted in with a two-run homer, her team-leading seventh of the season. Meckley,
Madison Koger and
Sarah Brown each had hits in the first game, while
Meghan Gagliano had a hit in the second game.
CSU took the lead early in the first game after
Madison Koger doubled to lead off the game and Meckley hit a two-run homer to left field three batters later, but that was all the scoring the Bucs would get in the opener. South Carolina hit a homer of its own in the first and took the lead in the third on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. The Gamecocks added one in the fourth on another RBI single and hung a five spot in the fifth inning to break open the game.
Alyssa Heinrich got the start in the circle in the first game, allowing four runs and seven hits in 4.0 innings pitched.
South Carolina continued its offensive outburst in the second game with a pair of runs in the first on an RBI double and an RBI single.
Baylee Eaton kept the Gamecock bats in check through the first three innings before a five-run fourth put the home side in full control. A pair of two-run extra-base hits, one being a double and the other a two-run homer to left, accounted for most of the damage. South Carolina ended it in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded single.
Eaton allowed five runs and eight hits in 3.1 innings, striking out three. She was the only Buccaneer pitcher to record a strikeout in either game and had four strikeouts on the day.
How They Scored – Game 1
- The Bucs opened the scoring in the first inning on an Ashley Meckley two-run homer to left.
- South Carolina got a run in the bottom of the first on a Mackenzie Boesel solo home run to right center.
- The Gamecocks tied the game in the third inning on a Kassidy Krupit sacrifice fly, scoring Kenzi Maguire.
- The home side took the lead in the third on a Maddie Gallagher RBI single, scoring Boesel.
- Maguire drove in a run in the fourth with an RBI single, scoring Carlie Henderson.
- The Gamecocks started a five-run fifth with a Chooch Carroll walk with the bases loaded.
- Maguire hit a two-run single to score Riley Blampied and Aaliyah White.
- Boesel drove in Henderson with an RBI single.
- Jordan Fabian drove in the final run with an RBI single, scoring Maguire.
How They Scored – Game 2
- South Carolina opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI double by Boesel, scoring Maguire.
- The Gamecocks added another first inning run on a Fabian RBI single, which scored Boesel.
- Maguire extended the lead in the fourth with a two-run double, scoring White and Katie Prebble.
- Boesel drove in Maguire with an RBI groundout in the fourth.
- Carroll hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it a 7-0 game.
- Fabian ended the game in the fifth with an RBI single with the bases loaded.
Notes and News
- Meckley accounts for exactly half of Charleston Southern's home runs this season. She has homered in all three of CSU's midweek doubleheaders (Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, South Carolina).
- Eaton's five runs allowed in the second game snapped a streak of seven straight appearances allowing one run or fewer.
- Koger and Brooklynn Brewington were the only Bucs to reach base safely in both games Wednesday. Koger doubled in the first game and drew a leadoff walk in the second game. Brewington reached on an error in the first game and walked in the second game.
- In addition to pitching in the second game, Annah Junge was used as a pinch hitter in the first game and nearly got her first career hit. Junge hit a line drive that required an acrobatic catch from the shortstop to rob her.
- Koger's leadoff double in the first game was just the Bucs' second two-bagger in the last seven games.
- Meckley has accounted for each of the Bucs' last three home runs.
- Heinrich's start in the first game was her first appearance since a start on March 27 at Presbyterian.
Up Next
Charleston Southern returns home to begin a three-game series against Gardner-Webb Friday at 6 p.m.
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