Gobourne throws no-hitter as Gamecocks run rule Auburn

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Senior Donnie Gobourne threw a no-hitter and sophomore Giulia Desiderio drove in five runs to power the South Carolina softball team (33-16, 8-12) to an 8-0 five-inning, run-rule victory on Senior Day over No. 17 Auburn (36-15, 12-8) Saturday afternoon (Apr. 29).

Prior to the game, Carolina honors its four seniors Gobourne, Jordan Fabian, Natalie Morgan, and Rachel Vaughan.

Gobourne was nearly perfect on the day in the circle, striking out seven in five innings, facing two batters over the minimum. The only Auburn batters to reach came on a walk in the third and a hit batter in the fourth.

Giulia Desiderio had a career day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with five RBIs and a home run. Jordan Fabian also had a home run and drove in two runs.

The Gamecock offence had its bats came through in the clutch, as three of the four hits scored multiple runs. South Carolina got it going, scoring a run in the bottom of the second when Giulia Desiderio’s sacrifice bunt moved Aaliyah White to third, and a throwing error by the Auburn second baseman allowed her to score easily.

In the fourth, it would be Desiderio again coming through. Zoe Laneaux led off with a double and two outs later, Jen Cummings was intentionally walked to bring up Desiderio. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, she connected on her second home run of the season, off the foul pole in left field.

Desiderio came through one final time with a clutch hit. Assistant coach Josh Bloomer called an offensive conference as she was down 1-2 in the count. His words of encouragement to Desiderio came through, as on the next pitch, she hit a rope to left field, scoring both runners and sending the Gamecock bench spilling out onto the field in celebration.

The no-hitter by Gobourne is the first by a Gamecock since Jessica Elliot threw one against Winthrop on February 28, 2017, and is the 53rd overall in recorded program history. It’s the first no-hitter for Carolina in SEC play since Megan Matthews against Florida on April 21, 2002, and the fifth in SEC play all-time.

The two teams will meet in the rubber game tomorrow, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.