March 15, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – The fourth-ranked Tennesse Lady Vols found a way to stop South Carolina’s bats for the second time in one day as the Gamecocks were shutout 12-0 in five innings by the Lady Vols. USC suffered their first conference shutout of the season and is now 20-12 and 5-3 in the SEC. Tennessee improves to 31-4 and 4-1 in the conference.
Megan Rhodes earned the win for UT as she gave up one hit in five innings pitched while Kate Pouliot took the loss for USC. Pouliot allowed 12 runs on 11 hits in five innings pitched. McKenna Hughes recorded the Gamecocks only hit, a single to left center field in the fourth inning.
Tennessee hit two home runs off of Pouliot. Shannon Doepking led off the second inning with a solo shot to left field and started a five-run rout for the Lady Vols. Stacey Jennings hit an RBI double and an error by Kristin Hall eventually allowed Jennings to score. Kristi Durant hit a two RBI single to center field to round out the inning with UT ahead 5-0.
UT struck again in the fourth with two more runs and in the fifth where Durant had a two-RBI single and Katherine Card hit the second home run of the game for the Lady Vols to drive in three, making the score 12-0.
With the run-rule in effect, USC was stopped short of any attempts at a rally as the Gamecocks went down in order in the fifth with a strikeout, a fly out and a pop up.
The Gamecocks return to action Wednesday at 4 p.m. for the final game of the series.
Team 123 45 R H E
Tenn 050 25 12 11 0
USC 000 00 0 1 1
WP: Rhodes (8-3)
LP: Pouliot (5-4)
