Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina Gamecocks swept the Furman softball team in a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday at Carolina Softball Stadium, winning game one, 6-5, and followed with a 9-1 victory in six innings during game two to complete the sweep.
The two wins improve South Carolina to 25-21 on the season. Furman drops to 15-26 overall.
The Paladins return to Pepsi Stadium this weekend, April 23-24, to host Western Carolina in a three-game Southern Conference series.
Game 1 – South Carolina 6, Furman 5
Hannah Kumiyama delivered an RBI walk off single to give the Gamecocks a 6-5 victory in game one.
South Carolina struck for a single run in the bottom of the second on Kumiyama's RBI single to center field and then added four runs in the fifth to extend its lead out to 5-0. Katie Prebble highlighted the inning with her two RBI single to center field and would later steal home. Zoe Laneaux began the scoring with her RBI fielder's choice.
Furman cut its deficit to 5-1 in the top of the sixth when
Riley Ludlam drove in
Alex Rose Molinar with her RBI single to left field. Molinar reached on a one-out single and advanced to third on a wild pitch and
Emily Bartlett ground out.
The Paladins rallied back to tie the game at 5-5 after scoring four times including two on Bartlett's RBI single to center field.
Chrissy Fleming got the scoring started with no outs on her RBI infield single.
Ashlee Lykins, who reached on a fielder's choice following Fleming's single, would score the tying run after Ludlam reached on a Gamecock fielding error.
Prebble, who reached on a fielder's choice with one out and advanced to third on Riley Blampied's double, scored the game-winning run after Kumiyama's single to right field.
Leah Powell (6-4) picked up the win in the circle pitching a complete game and allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Sierra Tufts (6-13) took the loss giving up six runs on nine hits, three walks and two strikeouts over 6.2 innings of work.
Bartlett went 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead Furman while Ludlam and Fleming both collected one hit and one RBI.
Kumiyama recorded a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI while Prebble went 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Blampied also provided two hits.
Game 2 – South Carolina 9, Furman 1 (6 Inn.)
Kassidy Krupit had a game high three hits and Skylar Trahan threw a complete game to lead South Carolina to a 9-1 win in six innings during game two.
The Gamecocks scored at least one run in all six innings including two in the second, third and sixth.
South Carolina struck for a single run in the first on an RBI sacrifice fly from Kumiyama before Laneaux and Maddie Gallagher collected RBIs in the bottom of the second. The Gamecocks added two more runs during the third when Prebble homered to left center field and Carlie Henderson tallied an RBI single to center field.
Natalie Morgan put Furman on the board in the top of the fourth with her RBI sacrifice fly to center field, making the score 5-1. Molinar reached on a one-out single to center field and advanced to second on a Bartlett walk and single by Ludlam. The sophomore scored on Morgan's sacrifice fly.
South Carolina sealed its victory scoring one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, and two in the sixth. Krupit turned in an RBI single to center field during the fourth and Blampied added an RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Gamecocks a 7-1 lead. South Carolina ended the game with one out in the sixth when Henderson and Krupit both scored on a Paladin fielding error to put the final score at 9-1.
Traham (3-1) limited Furman to just one run over six innings and surrendered two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Emme Buzhardt (3-1) suffered the loss after giving up three runs on one hit and six walks in 1.1 innings of work.
Molinar and Ludlam both had one hit for the Paladins and Morgan registered one RBI.
Krupit collected three hits for the Gamecocks while Gallagher led all players with two RBI.
