Box Score COLUMBIA, S.C. – Lisabeth McCurry and
Rachel McCollum homered and Campbell knocked off 12th-ranked South Carolina 3-2 Wednesday night at the Carolina Softball Stadium.
Haley Hutchins (5-6) and
Megan Richards combined to hold the Gamecocks to just a pair of runs on four hits and the Camels (22-23) played error-free in the field to extend their season-best win streak to four games.
Hutchins allowed just one hit and a walk in three innings of work to earn the victory. The Camel hurlers combined to hold South Carolina (34-11) batters to 0-of-4 with runners in scoring position.
"We played very inspired, got timely hits when we needed to, and our pitching staff held them to two runs," said Campbell head coach
Todd Bradley. "
Madison Herring made two back-to-back ESPN Sports Center plays out there in centerfield. Everything went well. We played good defense, pitched it well and timely hits. That's what the game's all about, especially toward the end of the season."
McCollum's one-out homer – her 16th of the season – gave the Camels the lead in the first.
Caroline Smith reached on an error in the fourth; then stole second before McCurry hit her 12th blast for a 3-2 lead.
Richards surrendered Cayla Drotar's 2-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, but worked out of jams in each of the last four frames to earn her second save of the season.
South Carolina starter Dixie Raley (9-4) took the loss after giving up two earned runs on two hits while fanning eight over four innings.
The Camels improved to 11-2 this season when allowing two, or fewer, runs and picked up their first-ever victory over the Gamecocks after 12 losses in the series. Wednesday's loss was just South Carolina's second in 20 home games this year.
CU, which entered the contest 14th nationally in home runs per game (1.11), also improved to 10-3 when hitting at least two home runs this season.
Campbell, which swept three games at Charleston Southern over the weekend, hosts Big South rival Presbyterian in a single game Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium.
