May 5, 2002
Columbia, S.C. – Carolina freshmen Tia Rogers and Meghan Cornett hit team home runs No. 27 and 28 to tie the school single season record, as the Gamecocks (41-16, 20-10) defeated Ole Miss (25-29, 7-23) 4-0 to sweep the series. The win also gave USC its 20th SEC win, marking only the second time in school history to record a 20-win conference season. Senior Megan Matthews and sophomore Stacey Johnson combined for a four-hit shut out, as Johnson collected the win and improved to 14-8.
Carolina jumped on the board when Rogers led off the second inning with her third home run of the season to break up a 0-0 tie. Cornett followed with a solo shot in the third inning, to give her five for the year, and to tie USC’s team single season record for home runs at 28, which was set in 1994.
The Gamecocks added two more runs in the fifth when an Ole Miss error allowed Debralee Troesh to reach base and eventually score on an RBI single by Adrianna Baggetta. Baggetta advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Rogers, giving Carolina the 4-0 lead and eventual win.
Matthews started her last regular season game and allowed only one hit in three innings. Johnson then relieved Matthews in the fourth and gave up three hits in four innings to earn the victory. USC recorded four runs on seven hits and three Ole Miss errors as the Rebels’ Lindsay Price fell to 5-9.
Ranked the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, USC will return to action on Thursday, May 9 at 2 p.m. in Chattanooga, Tenn. Carolina will play the no. 7 seed in the first round of the tournament, which will be held at Jim Frost Stadium.
