Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina State women's softball team suffered a 5-1 loss to the University of South Carolina on Wednesday evening at Beckham Field. The loss drops SCSU to 10-22 overall, while the Gamecocks improve to 32-17.
 
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Ansley Ard hit a two-run home run to left field to give USC a 2-0 lead. An inning later, Olivia Lawrence hit a solo homer to right center field to give her team a 3-0 advantage.
 
SCSU got on the board in the top of the fifth inning after Unique Whitehurst (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) and Jazmin Robinson (Arlington, Tex./Mansfield Summit HS) started things out with back-to-back hits. Tiffany Harris (Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood HS) got on base on a fielder's choice, but was caught stealing at second base. After the failed steal attempt, Whitehurst was able to beat the throw home to score the only run for the Lady Bulldogs.
 
The Gamecocks posted two more runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame to seal the win.
 
Ashlyn Masters went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI for USC. Both Ard and Lawrence went 1-for-3 and each scored once. Lakyn Shull picked up her first win of the season after pitching five innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out four batters.
 
Cianna Burt (New Hill, N.C./Holly Springs HS) and Kelsey Grochow (Hopkins, S.C./Lower Richland HS) had the other two hits for SCSU. Vianney Gomez (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley HS) gave up six hits and five runs in six innings. She is now 6-11 on the season.
 
SCSU travels to Tallahassee, Fla. this weekend to play a three-game MEAC series at Florida A&M. Saturday's games are at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday's game is slated to start at noon.