Gamecocks' run comes to an end in winner-take-all final
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The South Carolina softball team (40-22) forced a winner-take-all game seven of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Sunday afternoon (May 21), as the Gamecocks won the first game 4-0 over No. 3 Florida State (53-9). Carolina was unable to sweep the day, as the Seminoles took game two 1-0, ending the season for the Gamecocks.
The game one win for South Carolina was the first loss for Florida State at home in over a year. The Gamecocks end their season with 40 wins for the first time since 2018, their second time under head coach Beverly Smith.
GAME 1
The Gamecocks struck early on the No. 3 seed Seminoles, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Jordan Fabian led off with a single down the left field line and Zoe Laneaux followed with a bunt single, advancing to second on the throw. Riley Blampied laid down a suicide squeeze bunt, scoring Fabian. One out later, Jen Cummings singled down the left field line, scoring Laneaux.
South Carolina put an exclamation point on the game in the fifth. A walk and an error put two runners in scoring position. Aniyah Black stepped in, and with a full count, singled through the left side, bringing home Fabian and Blampied.
Carolina's pitchers allowed just two hits on the day, two singles to lead off the first and second innings. They retired the final 18 Florida State batters in-a-row. Karsen Ochs started and threw three innings, allowing two hits and struck out two. Donnie Gobourne (14-7) earned the win as she came on and was perfect over the finale four innings, striking out four.
GAME 2
The Gamecock offense was just not able to get going in the winner-take-all game, as they were held without a base runner in the game.
The lone run came in the bottom of the third, when FSU scored on a throwing error off a bunt.
Bailey Betenbaugh (9-3) took the loss, as she allowed four hits in 2 1-3 innings. Gobourne finished out her Gamecock career throwing the final 3 2-3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out one. Gobourne finished her season with 203 strikeouts, 13th most all-time in a season. She is the first pitcher since Melissa Hendon in 2007 to eclipse the 200 mark.