Late home run carries South Carolina softball to win in NCAA Tournament opener
Quincee Lilio had a great return to her home state Friday.
The California native and South Carolina outfielder hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning to help the Gamecocks past Cal State Fullerton, 7-4, in the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA Division I softball tournament.
South Carolina will face host UCLA at 5 p.m. on Saturday in a winner’s bracket game. The host Bruins scored three runs in bottom of seventh to beat Cal Baptist, 12-11.
“I always dreamed of this moment,” Lilio said. “Like having my family in the stands and winning the game. ... It was awesome to see my mom in the stands and my brother. It was great.”
Lilio said she had nine friends and family in the stands and more on the way Saturday.
The Gamecocks trailed 4-3 heading into the sixth but tied it when Lexi Winters scored on an error.
After Shae Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases, Lillio drilled the three-run homer over the right-field wall. It was the Oklahoma transfer’s first homer of the season.
Jori Heard picked up the win in relief for South Carolina. Heard allowed an unearned run on five hits while striking out six in 3.2 innings.
It was the Gamecocks’ first win over Cal State Fullerton in six all-time meetings.
The Gamecocks trailed 2-0 in the second before Tate Davis homered to tie it 2-2. Karley Shelton added an RBI single in the third to give USC a 3-2 lead.
Cal State Fullerton took the lead in the top of the fifth on Ava Arce RBI single to make it 4-3.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 10:23 PM.
