April 17, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After taking an Easter break, the South Carolina softball team returns to action as they travel to Knoxville, Tenn. for a three-game series against the sixth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, April 18-19. Tuesday’s doubleheader is set for 5 p.m. (ET) and Wednesday’s single game begins at 4 p.m. (ET). The Gamecocks enter the series 24-22 and 4-13 in the SEC, while UT is 41-6 and 12-6 in the SEC.

Tennessee is looking to extend its six-game win streak after sweeping SEC opponent Ole Miss over the weekend. South Carolina lost a doubleheader to Coastal Carolina last Thursday but currently has a two-game SEC win streak and is looking to build on its streak.

For the series, South Carolina leads 15-14 but Tennessee has won the last seven meetings with USC’s last win recorded in game one back in 2003.

Junior McKenna Hughes leads South Carolina at the plate with a .285 batting average. Hughes is the Gamecocks’ leader in hits with 39, doubles with 11, home runs with six, and RBI with 26. As a team, USC is hitting .234. In the circle, the Gamecocks’ have a 1.98 ERA. Christie Hamilton leads the team with 12 victories in 25 appearances and 137 strikeouts.

Sarah Fekete leads Tennessee and the SEC with a .500 batting average. The senior outfielder has 68 hits and has score 46 runs. Tonya Callahan leads the Lady Vols in RBI with 53. Tennessee also has the league’s second leading pitcher in ERA in Monica Abbott. Abbott has a 0.57 ERA and in 209 innings pitched, leads the SEC in strikeouts with 352.

The Gamecocks are 1-5 against the SEC East and are fourth in the division, ahead of Kentucky. Tennessee is second in the division behind Georgia.

All three games can be followed live on uscsports.com via Gametracker and live audio with Andy DeMetra.