(Greenville, N.C.) – Day two of ECU's Pirate Classic for the Delaware State softball team (0-4) featured the Hornets falling 5-4 in extra innings to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (1-1), followed by the SEC's South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0) breaking a scoreless tie in the sixth with back-to-back huge innings to come out on top, 17-0.
With the game knotted at two in the sixth against Oakland, DSU's Vanessa Washington (1) smashed a solo shot to left center for her third hit of the afternoon in what seemed like the potential game-winning run. However, the Grizzlies sent the game into extra innings with a Courtnee Johnson two-out infield RBI-single in the seventh.
Two innings later, the two squads traded runs with DSU's Nicole Gazzola RBI-singling to left for her third hit of the game to bring in infielder Danielle Velez from third, while OU's Sara Cupp registered an RBI-single. The following inning, unfortunately for the Hornets, saw Oakland's Sarah Hartley drive in the game-winning run with a two-out single up the middle.
In the circle, Delaware State's Jessica Shalongo got the start and finished the game allowing four hits, two earned, six walks and tallying six K's in five innings before getting replaced by sophomore Tara Tursellino (0-3).
Against South Carolina, the Hornets more than held their own heading into the fifth, limiting South Carolina to just one hit, which occurred in the first. However, the Gamecocks scored seven runs on five hits in the sixth, beginning with a Sarah Mooney two-run blast over the left field wall off Tursellino (0-4).
The next frame was much of the same, this time with the Gamecocks scoring 10 runs on nine hits, headlined by Alaynie Paige connecting for a two-out grand slam bomb and a three-run RBI-double off the bat of Jordan Bizzell.
At game's end, South Carolina's Julie Sarratt (2-0) tossed two-hit shutout that included eight strikeouts and no walks allowed, while Gazzola registered DSU's lone two hits.
Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will conclude the Pirate Classic tomorrow morning (9 a.m. in a rematch against Oakland.
