South Carolina Ousts 'Dogs In 2-1 SEC Tournament Squeaker
State Takes Early Lead, But Can?t Hold Off Nineteenth-Ranked Gamecocks
PLANT CITY, Fla. -- Nineteenth-ranked and fourth-seeded South Carolina (38-17) rallied for single runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to nullify an early lead by eighth-seeded Mississippi State (33-28) and eliminate the Bulldogs from SEC Tournament contention with a 2-1 victory Friday afternoon at Plant City Stadium.
Senior Jennifer Nelson led the Maroon and White offensively, turning in a pair of hits on three trips to the plate, with junior catcher Jennifer Waterman (1-for-4) providing the run support with an RBI double. Iyhia McMichael, the 2003 SEC Athlete of the Year and only unanimous first team all-SEC selection, scored a run on a 1-for-4 tally. USC first baseman Meghan Cornett drove in a run and scored once on a 1-for-3 day that led the Gamecocks.
For the second-straight game, Mississippi State got solid pitching, this time from Nelson who scattered six hits and struck out three over her fifth complete game of the season, but was saddled with the loss after allowing a pair of earned runs. South Carolina righthander Melanie Henkes (17-5) got the win for Carolina despite allowing eight hits.
In the midst of no-hitting the nationally-ranked Gamecocks through two and one-thirds innings, State took its first lead of the SEC Tournament in the first frame, getting McMichael aboard on a two-out single, before Waterman delivered the goods on a double to the gap in left centerfield.
South Carolina struggled to get the key hit and left a pair of runners in scoring position in the third, but knotted the score up in the fifth on Jodi Fittro?s run-scoring single through the left side. Mississippi State looked to have answered the rally in their half of the fifth after loading the bases with just one out showing, but Henkes took care of the Bulldogs, retiring McMichael and Waterman on groundouts to the shortstop Amber Curtis.
The Gamecocks got a one-out double from Danielle Quinones in the sixth, then took the lead three batters later on Cornett?s single to centerfield. Mississippi State used a one-out rally in the seventh to put a pair of runners into scoring position. A baserunning error that resulted in Nelson being thrown out at the plate, coupled with a groundout by Waterman, put an end to the Maroons rally.
Mississippi State will now wait out the weekend until Sunday night when the team will gather at an undisclosed location to view the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. Airtime for the announcement of the field of 64 teams is set for 9 p.m. CDT on ESPN News.
NO. 19 SOUTH CAROLINA 2, MISSISSIPPI STATE 1
#4 Seed South Carolina 000 011 0 -- 2 6 2#8 Seed Mississippi State 100 000 0 -- 1 8 0
Henkes and Smith; J. Nelson, Massey (6) and Waterman. W ? Henkes (17-5). L ? J. Nelson (7-7). Save ? None. 2B USC, Quinones. MSU, Waterman (17).