No. 24 South Carolina softball (27-21, 5-13) defeated the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, 16-14, in an eight-inning midweek matchup at Anderson Softball Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
South Carolina fought toward this win as it seeks a .500 record to participate in the NCAA Tournament.
Offensively, the Gamecocks faced junior right-handed pitcher Carly Maxton in the circle.
South Carolina opened with a five-run first inning. Redshirt senior outfielder Quincee Lilio reached first off a lead-off bunt. Senior catcher Jamie Mackay singled, advancing Lilio. Junior infielder Karley Shelton followed up with an RBI double, giving Lilio the first run of the game for South Carolina, 1-0.
Mackay reached home on a throwing error, and Shelton ran home on a single by junior utility Tori Ensley. The Tar Heels swiftly replaced Maxton with sophomore pitcher Kendall Frost.
The Gamecocks kept the runs coming, with senior infielder Arianna Rodi running home on a single by redshirt senior infielder Natalie Heath. Ensley followed behind with the fifth run of the opening inning after a groundout at first. South Carolina led, 5-0.
Senior pitcher Jori Heard earned the start for South Carolina in the bottom of the first.
Junior infielder Emily LeGette hit a solo home run for UNC, her 25th home run of the year, breaking the school’s record for most home runs in a season. The score was 5-1 in favor of South Carolina entering the second inning.
In top of the second, Mackay was hit by pitch, and sophomore outfielder Nia McKnight stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Ensley hit an RBI double, sending McKnight home and extending the lead, 6-1.
Senior utility MC Eaton hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second for the Tar Heels, setting the score at 6-2.
The Tar Heels continued to dig into the Gamecocks' lead, 6-3, with graduate infielder Shelby Barbee hitting the third solo home run of the game for UNC in the bottom of the third.
In the fourth, Shelton drew a walk from Frost, and Rodi brought her home, hitting an RBI home run. South Carolina stretched the lead, 8-3.
The Tar Heels earned two more runs in the bottom of the fourth from sophomore outfielder Bryten Burns and junior infielder Raegan Jennings. A throwing error at third allowed a third run for UNC by junior outfielder Sanaa Thompson, making it a two-run game, 8-6. Junior pitcher Nealy Lamb relieved Heard.
The bases were loaded for the Tar Heels continuing the fourth. Graduate infielder Michele Tarpey tied the game, 8-8, with a two-RBI single, reaching on a fielding error. UNC continued to take the lead, scoring two runs off a two-RBI single by Jennings.
An 11th run scored by Burns for the Tar Heels prompted junior pitcher Emma Friedel to take the circle. A diving out by Rodi ended the lengthy fourth inning, 11-8, in favor of UNC.
In the top of the fifth, freshman pitcher Jil Livengood replaced Frost for the Tar Heels.
A single from Eaton brought LeGette home, broadening the lead for UNC, 12-8, to end the fifth.
Rodi started the sixth with a solo home run, her second of the game and 10th of the season. Heath drew a walk from Livengood. Freshman outfielder Kai Byars hit an RBI home run, bringing sophomore infielder Tate Davis home and narrowing the Tar Heels lead, 12-11.
Sophomore infielder Shae Anderson drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Lilio allowed Anderson to tie the game 12-12 with an RBI double. Maxton retired Livengood.
In the bottom of the sixth, Heard replaced Friedel. Thompson hit at the fence, two RBI double, giving the lead back to the Tar Heels, 14-12.
Rodi and Ensley drew back-to-back walks from Maxton to kick off the seventh inning. A clutch two-RBI single by Byars tied the game, 14-14, after Rodi and Ensley touched home plate.
In the top of the eighth, Shelton drew a walk, and Ensley hit a two-run home run, her second of the game and 10th of the season, to put the Gamecocks up 16-14. UNC retired Maxton for sophomore pitcher Lilly Parrish.
The third out of the eighth inning, by Rodi at first, sealed the win for South Carolina, 16-14.
What's next?
South Carolina hosts the Texas A&M Aggies in a weekend series at Beckham Field. First pitch on Friday is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.