South Carolina Squeaks By BYU

South Carolina’s opening game marked the 1,500th win in the program’s history over BYU. 

At the top of the second inning, BYU jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Rylee Jensen lined double to left field scoring pinch runner Martha Epenesa. The Cougars would add to their run total in the fourth when Allie Hancock blasted a solo shot.

The Gamecocks roared back in the fourth when Katie Prebble crushed a two-run homer off to tie it up 2-2. 

The Cougars scratched another run across the board in the sixth to take the lead. But South Carolina continued to chip away. Kenzie Maguire laced a two-out double to score Madison Owens and Jordan Fabian taking the first lead of the game 4-3. 

Cayla Drotar closed out the side in the seventh to seal the win for the Gamecocks.

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Baylor Takes Down South Carolina

In game two, Baylor took a 2-0 lead in the first after four consecutive walks and a sac fly.
South Carolina cut the lead in half in the second with an Owens sac fly to score Alex Fulmer, 2-1.

The Bears piled on two more runs in the fourth to stretch the lead to 4-1. Madison Kettler led off the inning with a single. Hannah Smith then reached on an error to score Madison Kettler. Ana Watson lined a singled to score Smith. 

The Gamecocks did not answer after the second stranding 12 runners on base. Sidney Holman picked up the win for the Bears first victory of 2019.

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Tables Turn On Bears

Fresh off a top 10 upset, the Bears dropped game two against the Cougars 3-4. 

Baylor led off the first with a 1-0 lead with a Goose McGlaun sac fly. BYU also answered in the first with an Olivia Sanchez sac fly to score Jensen evening the score 1-1.

In the bottom of the second, the Cougars put three more runs on the board to take the lead. Emily Erickson led off with a single and advanced to second. Arissa Paulson singled to score Erickson and take a 2-1 lead. Morgan Bevell doubled to left center to advance the pinch runner Aubrielle Paulson to third.

Jensen stepped up hitting two-RBI double scoring Bevell and Paulson, 4-1.

Hannah Thompson narrowed BYU’s lead to one run in the fifth with a single to score McGlaun and Taylor Ellis, 3-4. 

Bases loaded in the top of the seventh for Baylor, BYU Coach Gordon Eakin brought in Viramontes for the save for a 4-3 victory over the Bears.

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Duke Impressive On Opening Day

The Blue Devils opened their season with a 7-3 victory over ACC rival Notre Dame.

Duke jumped out to an early lead in the first with a two-RBI triple by Raine Wilson, 2-0.

Notre Dame evened the scored in the fourth when MK Bonamy and Anna Grace Wagner scored on an RBI single by Emma Clark and a fielders choice. In the top of the fifth, the Irish took the lead. Ali Wester doubled to center and then advanced to third on an error. Abby Sweet followed with the single and took second base on a steal. A ground ball to second base by Cait Brooks was enough to score Wester from third.

The Blue Devils exploded in the sixth with a leadoff single by Rachel Abboud. Jameson Kavel followed with a single to right-center to advance pinch runner Morris. Wilson walked to load the bases. Bri Butler ignited the offense with a single up the middle to score two. Dominique Salinas then laced a double to left center adding another run to their total. 

Notre Dame opted for a pitching change for Duke pinch hitter Kristina Foreman. Forman crushed a two-RBI double to right center extending the lead to 7-3. 

The Irish did not answer in the seventh. Amelia Wiercioch picked up her first win of the season.=

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