TALLAHASSEE, Florida – The Marist softball team had its season come to an end on Saturday with a 2-1 loss to South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Foxes tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, but the Gamecocks scored the winning run in the top of the seventh.
 

Summary

• Kiley Myers struck out Jordan Fabian to open the game, and a diving stop of a line drive by Sam Freeland ended a scoreless top of the first.
• Peyton Pusey got Marist's first hit of the game with a leadoff single in the bottom of the first.
• Myers did not allow a hit for the first 3.1 innings, until Aniyah Black's infield single.
• South Carolina scored the game's first run on an error in the top of the fourth.
• Marist tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out single by Maddie Pleasants, which brought home Peyton Pusey.
• With two outs in the top of the seventh, Brooke Blankenship's single brought home Kyye Ricks with what proved to be the winning run.
• Shea Walsh drew a four-pitch walk with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to advance any further.

 

Stats

• Marist outhit South Carolina, 5-4.
• Myers pitched a complete game with three strikeouts and one walk, needing just 86 pitches. One of the two runs she permitted was unearned.
• Myers pitched 1-2-3 innings in the third and fifth.
• Pusey reached twice, with a walk, single, and a run scored.
• Bailey Betanbaugh, who recorded the final two outs of the sixth, recorded the victory. Donnie Gobourne pitched a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts for the save.

 

Notes

• This was the first one-run game Marist played in NCAA Regional play. The Red Foxes' previous closest game was a 5-3 loss to Fordham in 2013.
• This was the third time Marist faced an SEC opponent in NCAA play. The Red Foxes took on Auburn in 2006 and Tennessee in 2016.
• Marist hitters struck out just nine times in 12 innings of play this weekend.

 

Records

• Marist's season ended at 29-30
• South Carolina improved to 38-21.

 

Thank You!

Saturday's game marked the final one for five players: Hannah Brock, Meghan Davis, Sam Freeland, Shea Walsh, and Calista Phippen. All earned their Bachelor's degrees, and Phippen earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees.