South Carolina trailed 3-1 at the top of the fourth inning Friday against Missouri, with much heat added to the competition by the Tigers. However, freshman Kelsey Oh ended the inning with a double play on the next pitch to stop Missouri in their tracks to help the Gamecocks ultimately secure their 6-3 win.
Not only did Oh contribute to South Carolina's comeback, but senior Tiara Duffy also did. Duffy made a diving catch that would spark the Gamecocks' momentum, allowing her team to hit the ground running. Her catch was the exact fuel that the Gamecocks needed to make their 10th comeback win of the season. Duffy would also hit a 240-foot home run in the next inning that went off the top of the clock on the scoreboard in right-center field to tie the game.
“It felt good off the bat,” Duffy said. “Actually, I was mad at myself because I tried to bunt at a ball and bunting is my favorite and I didn’t get it down, so I was upset with myself.”
There was much disappointment from Duffy's teammates that the ball did not go over the scoreboard, however Duffy was fine with it. She was more concerned with her performance after her home run, as she was trying to bunt.
Duffy wasn’t the only one to hit a home run in the fifth. Freshman Alyssa Kumiyama, who came in to bat for the injured Cayla Drotar and hit a shot of her own to give the Gamecocks a lead. This confidence in Kumiyama is a testament to head coach Beverley Smith's trust and confidence that she has in her freshman.
“[Kumiyama] has been a player that's been in the starting lineup for us and when she’s not in starting lineup, she’s usually my first pinch hitter off the bench,” Smith said.
Oh came in three batters into the game after sophomore Cayla Drotar took a ball to her right leg. Drotar would not return after this play in the first inning, which resulted in the Gamecocks coming together as a team and young players stepping up.
“Right now, we don’t know [Drotar’s status], Smith said. “It looks bruised. But she's gonna go get it checked out by our doctors."
Despite Drotar's injury, South Carolina has much to look to take away from tonight's game. After tonight's win, the Gamecocks have surpassed last season's overall win total, along with SEC total, and have won three of their last four games against the Tigers. South Carolina will face Missouri starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday for game two of the series.