Pair of home runs power Gamecocks to series opening win

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The South Carolina softball team (25-20, 4-12) earned a 5-2 comeback victory at Missouri (23-23, 6-10) Friday afternoon (Apr. 17) to open the series.

Tori Ensley, Arianna Rodi, and Jamie Mackay all collected two hits on the day.

Missouri got off to an early lead with a pair of solo home runs in the first. Jori Heard settled down from there as she held the Tigers to three hits the rest of the way and allowed only one runner into scoring position.

The Gamecocks got a run back in the second when Tori Ensley led off with a double. She went to second on a groundout by Lexi Winters and scored a sacrifice fly by Natalie Heath.

Arianna Rodi tied the game in the fourth with a leadoff solo home run. It moved her into a tie for the team lead with her eighth of the season.

Jamie Mackay broke the tie in the fifth. Shae Anderson drew a leadoff walk, and one out later, Mackay tattooed her sixth home of the season over the wall in left center.

The Gamecocks added an insurance run in the seventh after loading the bases. A leadoff walk to Karley Shelton was followed by a pair of singles from Rodi and Ensley. Winters delivered the sacrifice fly to left, allowing Shelton to score easily.

Heard (8-8) earned the complete game victory. She struck out six and walked one