Gamecocks Finish Off Twinbill Sweep Of Mississippi State, 7-5
May 25, 2016 | Softball
Official Game Statistics
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina sent nine batters to the plate in a five-run second inning, then held back a furious comeback effort by Mississippi State in the late frames, to finish off a series-opening doubleheader sweep of the Bulldogs on a 7-5 triumph Saturday afternoon at Beckham Field.
The Gamecocks (28-25-1, 11-15 SEC) took its season series from Mississippi State (31-27, 11-18) for the 11th consecutive time with an offensive outburst that produced its most runs in more than a month. Despite the setback, the Maroon and White hit their 41st, 42nd and 43rd home runs of the campaign to shatter a two-year-old school record formerly held by the 2003 squad.
Courtney Bures and Tanelda McDonald both highlighted 3-for-4 days at the plate with back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, while Katie Cooley smacked her seventh four-bagger of the campaign to highlight a 2-for-3 hitting line. Jessica Josker drove in a pair of runs and crossed the plate one time to pace the USC offense.
MSU starter Kelli Miller (12-11) lasted just one inning of the nightcap, surrendering three earned runs on as many hits and one walk, to saddle the loss for the Bulldogs. After a rough relief outing by Melissa Massey, Stephanie Comeaux surrendered four hits and struck out two over the last five innings of the contest, but got the no decision. USC starter Kate Pouliot (7-11) allowed six hits and three runs over four and one-thirds innings of action from the circle to pick up the save for the Garnet and Black, with game one winner Aleca Johnson working two and two-thirds innings to earn her sixth save of the season.
By the time we scratched back into it, it was too little, too late, said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. We out-hit them and I thought we did a good job coming back and giving ourselves a chance. We just dug ourselves too big a hole early. We didn't get anything pitching-wise early on. Stephanie came in and shut them down, but it was too late for us to climb out of the hole we put ourselves in.
South Carolina got a double from Josker to lead off the game and then got a two-out RBI single from Ashley Smith a short time later to snag the early lead. The Gamecocks would chase two MSU pitchers in the five-run second inning that almost put the game out of reach, but the Bulldogs clawed themselves back into it in the fifth on a home run by Cooley, as well as RBI knocks from Bures and Callye Williams, that cut the deficit to just three, 6-3, heading into the sixth.
USC used a wild pitch from Comeaux to push its lead back to four in the sixth, but State got back-to-back one-out solo home runs from Bures and McDonald in the seventh to put the Gamecocks on their heels. The Bulldogs would load the bases with three of their next four at-bats, but Johnson induced a game-ending liner that shortstop McKenna Hughes went horizontal to snag.
State and the Gamecocks will each close out their regular season campaigns on Sunday afternoon when the squads meet in the 1 p.m. EDT series finale at Beckham Field. The game will be broadcast live by WMSV 91.1 FM with Anthony Craven handling all the play-by-play duties.
SOUTH CAROLINA 7, MISSISSIPPI STATE 5
Mississippi State (31-27) 000 030 2 - 5 11 1South Carolina (28-25-1) 150 001 x - 7 9 1Miller, Massey (2), Comeaux (2) and Geddings. Pouliot, Johnson (5) and Smith. W * Pouliot (7-11). L * Miller (12-11). Save * Johnson (6). HR * Cooley (MSU), Bures (MSU), McDonald (MSU).
