ETSU gives up nine-run fourth inning to South Carolina 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb 16, 2023) – The ETSU softball team opened play at the Carolina Classic Thursday night, falling 9-2 to SEC foe South Carolina. With a two-run lead heading into the home half of the fourth, the hosts scored nine runs to complete the comeback.

RECORDS

ETSU (0-4)

South Carolina (4-1)

NOTABLES

• Kaylee Higgins (Chatsworth, Ga.) and Jasmine Sanchez (Buford, Ga.) each recorded a pair of hits, as the Georgia natives were the only two players to record multiple hits.
• Sanchez went 2-for-2, scoring a run and walking in the fourth.
• Makenzie Henderson (Knoxville, Tenn.) recorded the Bucs lone RBI.
• Both sides recorded seven hits in the contest.

After a quiet first inning for both squads, ETSU used a two-out rally to go ahead first in the top of the second. Higgins recorded her first hit as she punched a ball down the left field line, stopping at second. Two pitches later, Sanchez connected with single as Higgins advanced to third but not before reaching home on an error.

In her third collegiate at-bat, Henderson recorded the third consecutive hit for ETSU as she singled to center field. In the process, Sanchez scored to give the Bucs the 2-0 lead. The next four half innings were scoreless and saw a combined three hits.

South Carolina came alive in the fourth inning. After reaching back-to-back batters with walks,  the Gamecocks capitalized with a bunt and scored with the help of an error to cut the ETSU lead in half. With a total of four hits, South Carolina scored nine runs to establish the eventual 9-2 score line.

PITHCHERS OF RECORD

South Carolina: Jori Heard (1-0) – win.

ETSU: Brianna Bailey (0-2) – loss.

UP NEXT

The Bucs will play game one of a doubleheader on Friday against Western Kentucky at 12:30 p.m., then take on George Washington following game one to end the day.

For more information on Buccaneer Softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the softball tab.