April 23, 2003
SOUTH CAROLINA SWEEPS LADY PALADIN SOFTBALL 6-0, 9-1
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina centerfielder Jodi Fittro went 2-for-3 with six RBI and two home runs, including a game-ending grand slam, to lead the Gamecocks to a 9-1 victory in game two and sweep of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday evening at Beckham Field.
South Carolina took the lead in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by Ashley Smith. Kristin Hall followed two batters later with a two-run single to center to make the score 3-0.
The Gamecocks (35-14) continued to add to the lead in the fourth when Fittro connected on a two-out, two-run homer to left to give South Carolina a 5-0 advantage.
Furman got on the board in the top of the sixth. With one out and runners on the corners, Ali McNulty picked up an RBI with a ground out to second scoring LaKerah Barr. The Lady Paladins had a runner on third with one out, but Kristen White was thrown out at the plate on a Jessica Matthews bunt. Caroline Evans bounced out to third base to retire the side.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kim Evans and Amber Curtis singled to give USC runners at first and second with no one out. After a walk to Nancy Crane, Fittro cracked the grand slam to end the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Aleca Johnson, who struck out seven Lady Paladin hitters and threw a complete game, improved to 4-4 on the season with the win, while Furman starter Tabitha Dease suffered the loss to fall to 2-2.
Curtis went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Meghan Cornett was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Evans chipped in two hits and two runs scored for the Gamecocks.
Barr, who entered the twinbill leading the SoCon in hitting (.423), led Furman at the plate in game two going 2-for-3.
The Gamecocks broke open game one with a two-run single by Smith with one out in the bottom of the first. USC stretched its lead to 3-0 when Debralee Troesh scored on a Joni Lockridge throwing error.
South Carolina extended the advantage when Troesh led of the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left-center field. The homer, Troesh's tenth of the season, set a new single-season Gamecock record. The Gamecocks added another run in the third and one in the sixth for the final 6-0 margin.
Gamecock hurler Melanie Henkes (15-3) surrendered only one hit, a seventh inning single by LaKerah Barr, to pick up the win for South Carolina. Henkes struck out a career-best 11 batters.
Smith paced the Gamecocks at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Crane was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Rachel Henley (8-11) suffered the loss for Furman. Henley was touched for six runs on nine hits in six innings of work.
Furman, 18-24 on the season, returns to action on Saturday when it hosts East Tennessee State in a Southern Conference doubleheader.