Feb. 22, 2003
Columbus, Ga. – The 16th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks (8-5) are 1-1 in the Lead-Off as USC fell 2-1 to No. 5 Washington and defeated Temple 7-4. Pitcher Stacey Johnson (4-3) was the pitcher of record for both games while Debralee Troesh hit two home runs, including the game tying blast against Temple. The seven runs scored by USC against Temple are the second most runs scored this season.
Against Washington, Johnson pitched five innings and gave up two runs on six hits. After a 24 and one half hour delay, USC returned for an inning of play on Saturday afternoon and was unsuccessful in their attempts to tie the game. At the plate, Troesh’s solo home run in the fourth inning was Carolina’s lone run off of five hits.
In the Temple game, the Gamecocks recorded seven runs off of six hits including a two-run home run by Ashley Smith. Smith’s hit brought Carolina within one and following Smith’s shot, Troesh’s homer tied the game for the Gamecocks 4-4. In the fifth, Troesh struck again as she hit an RBI double to score Smith, who reached base after being hit by a pitch, and give USC a 5-4 lead.
Carolina padded its lead as Danielle Quinones hit an RBI single to score Troesh and in the sixth inning, Jodi Fittro scored off of an RBI single by Amber Curtis. Johnson retired all three batters in the top of the seventh to close the book on Temple.
The Gamecocks will wrap up play in the Lead-Off Classic Sunday at 1 p.m. when USC faces No. 15 Michigan.
