'An iconic moment': Sam Gress' grit on full display during Gamecocks' postseason run
Some pitchers might have let the ball hit the dirt and go foul, especially with a five-run lead. But Sam Gress, who will do whatever it takes to win, is just different.
After laying out to make a diving tag in a rundown last weekend, the sixth-year pitcher was back at it on Friday. This time, she made an even better play, one that required her to once again dive and put her body on the line for South Carolina.
With one out in the sixth inning, UCLA’s Kaniya Bragg hit a soft pop-up that was quickly coming down near the third baseline. Gress, already running over that way, laid out to make a headfirst diving catch for the second out.
“I mean, that was just an iconic moment,” head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard said. “And I’m fine with it. I’m glad she made the out. … I hope the NCAA takes that photo of her diving for that ball and puts it all over everything from here on out, because that’s what the postseason is about.”
Gress then got to her knees, slapped her right hand into the dirt and let out a big roar as the crowd went into a frenzy.
“Just the feeling that you get, I had chill bumps on my skin and tears in my eyes in the dugout,” Chastain Woodard. That’s what it’s about. You have that feeling that you can make a play like that from your ace pitcher in the circle.”
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For Chastain Woodard, along with Gress’ teammates, this is nothing new. They’ve been witnesses to efforts like this from her throughout the season. It’s a play that stood out the most in a 9-2 win over UCLA in the Super Regional opener.
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“Honestly, the first thing I thought about was her cutting up her hand when she dove, because she did it last week also,” Lexi Winters said. “Sam has so much grit, and she’s going to do everything she can to win, to make the play, to give the team the momentum and the energy. And that’s exactly what she did with that play, and I think that just propelled us forward for the rest of the game.”
It’s been a dominant postseason run for Gress, the leader of South Carolina’s pitching staff. After 8.2 shutout innings in two regional starts last weekend, she kept it going with 3.1 scoreless innings out of relief following Jori Heard’s two-run start in the circle.
Gress gave up four hits with two strikeouts and a walk. She threw 70 pitches to earn her 14th win of the year.
Between Gress’ outing and the diving play she made, it encapsulated what the Gamecocks have their sights set on. With a win on Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN), they would advance to their first Women’s College World Series since 1997.
“We’re not playing to not lose. We’re playing to go to OKC,” Winters said. “And I think that’s exactly what we did today. We grabbed all the momentum when we could, and if we felt anything kind of shifting, we went away and took it back.”
