As Alyssa VanDerveer trotted from second to third base, the party at home plate was starting to form. South Carolina softball players, dancing their way from the dugout to the batter’s box, joined hands and made a tunnel for VanDerveer to run through.
Her solo home run in the third inning helped USC earn a weekend sweep with of Missouri with a 6-2 win Sunday before a Beckham Field crowd of 1,511. The celebratory scene it produced was symbolic of this 2018 season.
The 12th-ranked Gamecocks are enjoying themselves as they continue to exceed expectations. Tabbed in the preseason to finish 12th in the SEC, Carolina (37-11 overall) won its 11th SEC game in 18 tries Sunday.