Williams’ blast gives Gamecocks softball SEC tourney opening win

Gamecock junior Taylor Williams hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth to send South Carolina’s softball team (36-20) to a 7-4 extra-innings victory against sixth-seeded and No. 17/15 Missouri in the opening game of the 2016 SEC Softball Tournament.

Williams came on with two outs after a single by junior Victoria Williams and a two-out double by senior Jordan Bizzell and knocked the 1-2 pitch out a few feet fair in left to hand South Carolina the 7-4 lead.

South Carolina tied things in the seventh, getting the first run on senior Alaynie Page’s single to right, scoring Bizzell after her one-out double to right center. Freshman Kennedy Clark singled to set up junior Kaylea Snaer. She drove an 0-2 pitch over the 220-foot sign in center to knot things at 4-4.

Gamecock junior Nickie Blue (18-12) tossed a complete game in the win, giving up four runs, two earned, on five hits and four walks. Tiger freshman Danielle Baumgartner (14-4) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits in her inning of relief. Paige Lowary gave up four earned runs on eight hits in seven innings, striking out five.