Snaer’s walk-off homer sends USC softball past Georgia, clinches series

Kaylea Snaer hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to send South Carolina to a 3-1 win over Georgia on Monday, taking the three-game series at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.

The home run scored Alexis Mack, who had reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the inning, breaking a 1-1 tie. Snaer doubled home Mack in the first inning for South Carolina, but Georgia tied it in the second.

It was the second straight game the Gamecocks (23-6, 2-4 SEC) won on a game-ending home run. Ansley Ard had the game-winning home run Sunday night in a 5-4 USC win.

“We had two outs, and we’ve been working hard on putting the ball hard in play,” Snaer said. “We’ve been fighting through that game so hard, and I wanted to win it so bad. I was trusting my preparation and waiting for her to throw me a good pitch.”

Snaer went 2-for-4 Monday with the double, the home run and all three RBIs for the Gamecocks.

Nickie Blue picked up the win with five no-hit innings in relief. Chelsea Wilkinson took the loss for Georgia (25-5, 1-2).

“What you saw, over the weekend, was our team continuing to grow and get better,” USC coach Beverly Smith said. “I loved the fight that we showed. To have the two clutch hits, Ard last night and Snaer tonight, was huge for us.”

USC hosts Charleston Southern at 6 p.m. Wednesday before traveling to Auburn this weekend.

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 10:04 PM with the headline "Snaer’s walk-off homer sends USC softball past Georgia, clinches series."