For the second-straight game, 15th-ranked Georgia softball and #14 South Carolina played an extra-inning contest, this time with the Bulldogs coming out on top in eight innings, 6-4, to even the series.
The offense scattered 11 total hits Saturday, led by a three-hit performance by Alysen Febrey. The junior was on base five times as she also drew a pair of walks in the contest. Ciara Bryan and Tyler Armistead each had two hits for the Bulldog hitters.
“Today was so fun,” said head coach Lu Harris-Champer. “The offense came out and put runs on the board and it was another great game. Like last night, this game could’ve gone either way and it went our way tonight. I’m just so proud of our team and the fight and heart they’ve displayed this weekend. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight and come out ready to play again tomorrow.”
Alley Cutting pitched five complete innings in her start in the circle. The redshirt-junior recorded five scoreless before exiting with the tying runs on base in the sixth. She struck out two in her outing, allowing only three hits. Kylie Bass (9-3) relieved Cutting in the sixth, allowing the go-ahead runs in the frame but shutting down the Gamecocks (35-13, 8-11) the next two innings en route to the win. Bass struck out four in three complete innings in the circle.
The Bulldogs (35-16, 8-12) took advantage of Gamecock miscues in the top of the third to scratch across a run. Armistead reached on an error by the right fielder, pulling up on second base to lead off the inning. With two out, Armistead took third on a wild pitch then immediately scored on another, taking a 1-0 lead in the third.
Through three innings of work in the circle, Cutting faced the minimum in the Gamecock order thanks to 1-6-3 double plays in both the first and second innings. It was the first game all season the Bulldogs turned multiple double plays.
Febrey sent the first pitch of the sixth inning over the wall in center for a leadoff home run, her seventh home run of the season, widening the lead to 2-0 late in the game.
South Carolina’s Cayla Drotar hit a grand slam in the sixth to find a two-run lead on the Bulldogs, 4-2.
Down two runs, the Bulldogs responded in the top of the seventh to knot the game up at four all. Bryan reached on a one-out single. Alyssa DiCarlo then cranked home run number 21 of the season over the wall in center to tie the game at 4-4. Georgia proceeded to load the bases but stranded them full in the inning.
With her home run, DiCarlo broke Georgia’s total bases record previously 523 held by Nicole Barber (2001-04). DiCarlo now own the all-time home runs, RBI, extra-base hits, and total bases records at Georgia.
South Carolina put the potential winning run on third in the bottom of the inning but Bass worked out of the jam to send the game into extra innings for the second-straight day. The last time Georgia played back-to-back extra-inning games was 2007.
Armistead doubled to the wall in center with one out in the top of the eighth. Bryan delivered the Bulldogs’ third home run of the day, another two-run shot to center, to put Georgia back in front, 6-4.
Bass shut down South Carolina in the bottom of the eighth to secure the victory for Georgia and tie the series.
The rubber game between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks will be Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m., aired live on ESPN 2.