April 19, 2002

Columbia, S.C. –
The Gamecocks will travel to Gainesville, Fla. for a three-game series against the Florida Gators April 20-21. Game times for both days are slated for a noon start. This will mark only the second trip to Gainesville for the Gamecocks, who have a 4-0 record at Florida Softball Field. For the series, USC leads the Gators 15-8.

Senior pitcher Megan Matthews is just three strikeouts away from claiming USC’s all-time career strikeout record. The Greer, S.C. native currently has 1,030 and the record is 1,032, held by Trinity Johnson (1995-97). Matthews became the 13th person in NCAA history to record 1,000 career strikeouts back on April 2 in a win against Tennessee.

Carolina currently leads the SEC east with a 15-6 record and is 34-12 overall. Florida is 27-29 overall, 7-14 in the SEC, and is ranked fourth in the division. USC just completed a sweep against Kentucky last weekend while Florida went 1-2 against Georgia and split a midweek doubleheader against 20th-ranked Florida State.

The Gators are led by second year head coach Karen Johns, who played for South Carolina under head coach Joyce Compton, from 1985-88. Johns still ranks fourth on USC’s all-time list in career hitting (.350) and seventh for career home runs.