April 22, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – Melissa Hendon had a three-hit shutout as the South Carolina softball team swept the Kentucky Wildcats with a 2-0 victory Sunday at Beckham Field. The series sweep is the third conference sweep for the Gamecocks this season as they improve to 32-16 overall and even their SEC record at 10-10.
With the loss, the Wildcats drop to 19-24 overall and 4-18 in the SEC. Hendon improved her record to 16-11. Lindsay Brogdon took the loss and fell to 0-3.
Jessica Josker led off the bottom of the second with a triple to right field, her fifth hit of the weekend series. The Gamecocks almost stranded her at third with two groundouts, but Hendon hit a blooper to shallow left-center field to bring in the run.
Josker’s run scored made it the third consecutive game that the leadoff batter in the Gamecock second inning scored, as Josker and Becky Martinez both hit homeruns to leadoff the second inning in both games of the Saturday doubleheader against Kentucky. Josker leads the team with four triples on the season and is tied for third in the SEC for triple-baggers.
The Gamecocks threatened again in the third with a leadoff single and stolen base by Ashton Payne, followed by a single by Adele Voigt. A sacrifice fly sent Payne to third but the defense managed to collect two outs to keep it a one-run game.
The Wildcats looked to capitalize on the situation, recording a fourth-inning leadoff single and sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second. Brooke Marnitz advanced the runner to third on a single to left field and continued to second base as the Gamecocks threw home to hold the tying run. With two outs, the Gamecocks intentionally walked Katie Campbell to load the bases, and Hendon got Ashley Fertic to fly out to end the inning.
It was only the second time this season the Gamecock pitching staff issued an intentional walk, the last time occurring April 1 against Mississippi State.
Martinez hit a leadoff single in the fifth to give the Gamecocks a leadoff runner for three consecutive innings. Hendon’s groundout moved her to second, and Lisa Longo hit a single in the centerfield gap to put runners on the corners with one out. A two-out walk by Payne loaded the bases, and Voigt walked in the next at-bat to bring Martinez home for the 2-0 lead.
Neither team threatened the rest of the game as both teams combined for one base runner – a hit by pitch – in the final two innings.
The Gamecocks return to action Tuesday when they host the No. 22 Florida Gators in a doubleheader. Florida swept Longwood in a three-game series this weekend. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
South Carolina 2, Kentucky 0 (Apr 22, 2007 at Columbia, S.C.)
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Kentucky………… 000 000 0 – 0 3 0 (19-24, 4-18)
South Carolina…… 010 100 X – 2 8 0 (32-16, 10-10)
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Pitchers: Kentucky – Lindsay Brogdon. South Carolina – Melissa Hendon.
Win-Melissa Hendon(16-11) Loss-Lindsay Brogdon(0-3) T-1:14 A-657
