No. 24 Gamecock softball downs UNC, 5-0

COLUMBIA, S.C. –No. 24 South Carolina softball extended its season-high winning streak to seven games with a 5-0 win over North Carolina on Tuesday night at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. Dixie Raley, in just her second start at Carolina, moved to 3-0 on the season with the victory in four innings of work.

Jana Johns led the way at the plate going 3-for-3 with three RBI on the night. Kenzi Maguire, who has now reached base in all 11 games this season, also shined at the plate going 2-for-3 against the Tar Heels.

Carolina took the staff approach in the circle with Raley starting the game before Cayla Drotar finished the final three innings. The pair allowed just a combined six hits while striking out six.

“That’s a tough team,” head coach Beverly Smith said. “If you’ve been watching their games you’ve seen their offense has been scoring a lot of runs. For our pitchers to come out tonight and throw a shutout, I was really proud.”

The Gamecocks opened the scoring effort in the first as Johns was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to score Kennedy Clark and give Carolina an early 1-0 lead. The scoring continued in the fourth as Mackenzie Boeselplated Jordyn Augustus to make it 2-0 Gamecocks after four.

Carolina broke open the game in the bottom of the sixth thanks to Krystan White’s RBI-single to short to make it 3-0 before Johns nearly missed a home run to leftfield to score two and give the Gamecocks the 5-0 lead it wouldn’t surrender.

Raley finished the night going four innings while allowing just four hits and striking out four.

USC Athletics contributed to the writing of this article.