Feb. 5, 2005
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina softball cruised to a 6-0 win over Stephen F. Austin in the Gamecock Invitational Saturday and recorded its ninth consecutive home opener shutout. Senior Meghan Cornett led the way for the Gamecocks as she went 4-for-4, including a double, and two runs. Junior Melanie Henkes pitched a two-hit complete game and allowed only three base runners for the game.
Cornett led things off for USC as she recorded the first hit of the season and singled to right field. McKenna Hughes, who went 3-for-4 in the game, then followed with a single to left field to give the Gamecocks their first two base runners of the game. Senior Kristin Hall then put USC on the board as she hit a two-out single to center field and drove in Cornett and Hughes, giving Carolina a 2-0 lead.
Carolina’s bats came alive again in the fifth when USC connected on three straight singles to load the bases. USC then went up 3-0 when Hall was hit by a pitch and advanced Cornett home. Freshman Lisa Longo then recorded her first collegiate hit and RBI as she doubled to left field and drove in three more runs for the Gamecocks for the 6-0 lead.
That would be all the Gamecocks would need as the Jacks were only able to register hits in the third and seventh innings off of Henkes. The shutout marked Henkes’ seventh in her career, the first since her freshman season.
Jessica Josker, Longo and Becky Martinez all made their collegiate debuts as Josker and Longo combined for 3-for-6 at the plate. Martinez recorded hits in her first two at bats.
In addition to the six runs, the Gamecocks recorded 13 hits off of SFA. Nicole Carter picked up the loss for the Jacks as she gave up 11 of the 13 hits and all six runs.
USC is now 17-2 in season openers under head coach Joyce Compton and have outscored its opponents 42-1 in their last home openers.
Team 123 456 7 R H E
SFA 000 000 0 0 2 0
USC 200 040 X 6 13 1
WP: Henkes (1-0)
LP: Carter (0-1)
