No. 23 Gamecocks unable to complete seventh inning rally

COLUMBIA, S.C. (South Carolina Athletics) – A seventh inning rally came up just short for the 23rd ranked South Carolina softball team (28-14, 4-9), as the Gamecocks fell to No. 17 Arkansas (29-10, 8-5) 4-3 Friday night (April 12).

Kianna Jones led the Gamecocks going 2-for-3 on the plate. Riley Blampied led Carolina with two RBIs on the night and two runs scored. Seven different starters earned a hit for South Carolina.

Alana Vawter (11-7) suffered the hard-luck loss, throwing a complete game, allowing just one earned run on three hits, and striking out two.

The Gamecocks struck first in the bottom of the first. After Blampied was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Zoe Laneaux reached on an infield single. Then with two outs, Kianna Jones singled down the right field line, scoring Blampied from second.

The Razorbacks took the lead in the second on a single and an error. South Carolina responded immediately in the bottom half as Vawter led off with an infield single. After a sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Kyye Ricks to second, Blampied hit an absolute bomb to left field for her fourth home run of the season.

Arkansas tied it again in the third on a shallow sacrifice fly to right field. They would take the lead in the sixth on an error with two outs.

South Carolina looked to rally in the seventh when Laneaux led off with a walk and Jen Cummings singled down the left field line. A sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third, but the rally would stall there as the next two batters were retired.

Game two of the series will be tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. on the SEC Network. The game will be the SEC’s annual All For Alex game benefitting the GeauxTeal foundation for ovarian cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear teal to the game.

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