By Thomas Grant Jr.
This weekend at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field is a Homecoming for former Irmo All-State standout infielder Precious Bross.
She makes her return to the Lake Murray area with 13th-ranked University of Georgia when it visits 11th ranked South Carolina for a 3-game Southeastern Conference series. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
“I’m exciting a pretty good amount of family and friends,” Bross said. “I’m super-excited. It’s definitely surreal knowing that I’m coming back home to compete with a dream team and the program. I couldn’t ask for better from new coaches.
“ I know I grew up watching softball at that level all the time at USC. So it’s exciting to know that I’ll be there and competing with my team and all my friends and family get to be around me. So it’s a long season and I got to use to see like every day and I haven’t got to see them much. So I’m just excited just to see them and connect.”
Both teams look to rebound from losing series the past weekend. The Lady Bulldogs (14-3, 1-2) dropped 2-3 to Tennessee while the Gamecocks (20-3, 0-3) were swept by second-ranked Oklahoma in three games decided by one run.
Bross, who finished her career as the MVP of the North-South All-Star Game, has seen action in 15 games with six runs scored and two RBIs. She’s primarily been utilized as a pinch runner by Georgia as she gets assimilated into college play.
Prior to this past weekend, the Gamecocks were off to their best start in school history. A big factor in their success are two other former Lake Murray players – catcher Lexi Winters and infielder Karley Shelton.
A graduate and state champion at White Knoll who transferred from Charlotte, Winters is batting .355 with 25 RBI and four RBI. In this past Friday’s 10-9 loss to the Lady Sooners, she went 3-3 with five RBIs and two runs scored.
Shelton, who graduated from Lexington along with Georgia catcher Sarah Gordon, is batting .355 with 21 RBI, three RBI and 14 walks.
(Photo courtesy of University of Georgia Athletic Communications)
