April 11, 2002
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina extended its win streak to 10 games as the Gamecocks defeated 23rd-ranked Georgia 4-3 and 2-1 in today’s doubleheader. USC has a 31-11 overall record and is 12-5 in the SEC while the Bulldogs fell to 42-10 and 10-10 in the SEC. Starters Megan Matthews (16-4) and Stacey Johnson (9-5) both earned wins for the night while SEC Pitcher of the Week Aleca Johnson (4) recorded two saves. Lacey Gardner fell to 18-6 while game two starter Michelle Green fell to 14-3.
In game one, UGA took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Nicole Barber hit a lead off triple and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Julie Milner. USC answered in the bottom of the inning and took the lead when Kim Evans scored on an RBI single by Debralee Troesh and Megan Cornett singled to drive home Troesh.
UGA tied the game in the fifth as Michelle Tyree lifted a sharp single to right field to score catcher Shannon McKeon. The Bulldogs grabbed the lead once again when pinch runner Pam Stewart scored on a sacrifice fly by Barber, putting Georgia ahead 3-2.
USC continued to fight back and in the bottom half of the fifth, Kim Evans hit a two-out triple to score Jodi Fittro, who made a nifty slide into home plate and tied the game 3-3. Amber Curtis, who went 2-for-2 in game one, then followed with a bunt single which scored Evans, the go ahead run. Evans went 2-for-3 in the game, scored twice and drove in one run.
After striking out four in her game one victory, Matthews is now just 15 strikeouts away from setting the USC all-time record.
In game two, all three runs from both teams came on defensive mistakes. Georgia scored its only run in the third inning when Barber scored on an error by Troesh and USC took advantage of wild pitches to score two runs and win the game. Danielle Quinones was hit by a pitch in the third and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. In the fourth, Cornett was at third and ball four to Quinones was a wild pitch, which allowed Cornett to run home.
Johnson came in and allowed only one hit for 1.2 innings as Carolina was able to sweep the doubleheader 2-1.
The two teams return to action Thurs., April 11 at 5 p.m. for the final game of the series.
