Feb. 8, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – No. 20 South Carolina softball improved to 4-0 on the 2003 season after a doubleheader sweep of UNC Greensboro (1-1) and 19th-ranked Georgia Tech (1-1) in the first day of the Carolina Invitational tournament at Beckham Field.

Junior Stacey Johnson (2-0) pitched her first complete game, striking out seven UNCG batters and giving up two hits en route to a 3-1 Gamecock win. In the second inning, catcher Ashley Smith doubled, scoring Debralee Troesh to give USC an early 1-0 lead. The Gamecocks added a run in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, Smith homered to left field to make it 2-0 USC and in the fifth, Amber Curtis doubled, scoring teammate Nancy Crane. The Spartans had one run in the top half of that inning on a USC error.

In the second game of the doubleheader, USC faced Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets opened the Carolina Invitational with a 7-4 defeat of Boston College. USC dominated the game, winning 8-0 to earn their fourth win of the season. The Gamecocks relied on a two-out, seven-run second inning highlighted by a Smith grand slam. Melanie Henkes (2-0) earned her second shutout win of the season, giving up two hits and striking out five Tech batters in five innings of work.

The Gamecocks return to Beckham Field on Sunday for the second day of the Carolina Invitational as they face Boston College (0-2) at 11 a.m. Bracket play for the tournament is scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.