Kelsey Oh tossed a career-high 13 strikeouts to lead the University of South Carolina Gamecocks to a 3-0 win over the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to open the NCAA Columbia Regional on Friday at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field. The 13 strikeouts is a Carolina high for this season as the Gamecocks overcame a two-hour weather delay to move to 1-0 in the double-elimination bracket.
Oh, a Verona native who played for Mount Saint Dominic Academy in high school, overcame a slow start in which the freshman allowed her only two walks of the night in the first inning. UNCG got runners to second and third with one out in the frame, but Oh found her way with back-to-back strikeouts to start her career night.
“I think just controlling my breathing, settling down, my teammates helped a lot with that, especially Coach Bev when she came out to talk to me,” Oh said about overcoming her early issues in the circle. “Just breathing in the dugout and realizing I’ve done this so many times and I have such a great offense behind me, just to trust my teammates.” Beverly Smith is the head coach of the Gamecocks.
In the bottom of the third, poor weather delayed the game for two hours with runners on second and third for the Gamecocks and two outs. Play was officially stopped at 9:30 p.m.
After returning to action at 11:30 p.m., Carolina quickly scored two more runs in the third thanks to Jana Johns infield hit to score two and make it 3-0 Gamecocks. Carolina scored all three runs on the night with two outs.
“I just relaxed (during the delay), talked to the team, we had fun in the locker room,” said Oh, “and then once we got back out I pitched – before the lights went off – and then afterwards too.”
Overall, the Gamecocks finished 5-for-11 at the plate with two outs.
South Carolina (46-14) watched on as Oh earned her first career win in the postseason and moved the Gamecocks to one win away from the regional championship game.
