March 12, 2002

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After opening SEC play last weekend, South Carolina returns to non-conference action on Wednesday when they host Furman in a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Beckham Field. Last weekend, the 24th-ranked Gamecocks won the series against Arkansas 2-1.

The 17-7 Gamecocks are 48-10-1 against the Lady Paladins. Furman is 5-6 overall this season and went 1-2 against their last opponent, Coastal Carolina. The win against Coastal snapped a four-game losing streak for the Lady Paladins.

Last year in Columbia, Carolina split with Furman, losing game one 1-0 and winning game two 4-0. The last time the Gamecocks swept Furman was in 2000. Not including SEC play, USC has swept three of the four teams they have played doubleheaders against this season. North Carolina is the only team that has swept the Gamecocks.

Up next for USC is a trip to Starkville, Miss. for a three-game SEC series March 16-17. Overall, Carolina is 8-6 against the Bulldogs and in SEC play, leads the series 7-5. The Gamecocks are 3-1 at Starkville.