April 20, 2002

Gainesville, Fla. – South Carolina’s senior pitcher Megan Matthews claimed the USC all-time record for career strikeouts Saturday at the Florida Softball Field, as she struck out five in game one against the Florida Gators. Florida’s second baseman Prissie Walden struck out looking in the sixth inning for Matthews’ career strikeout No. 1,033.

“I was surprised in the first inning when I tied the record because I wasn’t expecting it to happen so quickly,” said Matthews. “Then it took forever before I got that third strikeout. For awhile there, I didn’t think I was going to get the record in this game. When I finally did, I was shocked. I threw the pitch and I just knew she (Walden) was going to swing at it but, she didn’t. I couldn’t believe it finally happened.”

Matthews entered the game with 1,030 strikeouts, just two away from tying the record. She tied the record early in the game as she struck out two in the first inning. The Greer, S.C. native is now 13th among most strikeouts in NCAA history with 1,035. An excited Matthews grabbed the game ball after she broke the record and gave it to her father, Mike Matthews.

“After I broke the record, I immediately looked in the stands at my dad and he was telling me to get the ball. He wanted that game ball,” said Matthews. “Then I looked over and I saw coach and my teammates smiling and everyone walked over and gave me a hug. That was really nice because I didn’t even think they really knew what I had just done. It was just a good feeling and it meant a lot to me that they were there for me.”

The previous USC record was held by Trinity Johnson who played for South Carolina from 1995-97. A transfer from Cal-State Fullerton, Johnson completed her career with a total of 1,163 strikeouts, placing her eighth on the all-time NCAA list.

Matthews, who was named USC’s Female Athlete of the Year this past week, recorded her 1,000 strikeout back on April 2 against Tennessee. She became the second USC pitcher to reach this milestone. No other school can claim that accomplishment. Matthews also became the second SEC pitcher to reach the mark, only behind LSU’s Britni Sneed. On April 14, Alabama’s Shelly Laird became the 14th player to reach 1,000 career strikeouts which now makes the SEC the only conference to have three pitchers to record 1,000 strikeouts.