March 12, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – The No. 14 South Carolina softball team improved to 18-6 as they defeated Northern Illinois (10-7) 5-0 and 4-1 Wednesday afternoon. Freshman Ashley Smith hit her second grand slam of the season and drove in four of Carolina’s five runs in game one. Carolina combined for nine runs and 12 hits in the doubleheader. Sophomore pitcher Aleca Johnson (1-1) recorded her first victory of the year when she pitched five and a third innings in game two, struck out a season high six batters and allowed one run.

In game one, the Gamecocks recorded five runs off of four hits en route to their ninth shutout of the year. USC scored its first run in the second inning when Smith scored on an RBI bunt by Nancy Crane. Smith hit her grand slam in the third to put the Gamecocks up 5-0. Pitcher Melanie Henkes improved to 10-1 as she pitched her eighth complete game of the season. Henkes gave up zero runs and five hits, walked one and struck out four. The shut out was Henkes’ fourth of the season.

Carolina controlled game two as USC took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Amber Curtis hit a two-RBI single to right field. Carolina scored again in the fifth when Quinones and Smith both hit RBI singles, giving the Gamecocks a 4-0 lead. In the top of the sixth, the Huskies scored their lone run of the series when rightfielder Kathy Dearborn hit an RBI groundout to score Lisa Mattke.

Curtis and Crane led the Gamecocks in game two as they each went 2-for-3 at the plate. Curtis also recorded two RBIs and scored a run.

Carolina is now 9-1 against non-conference teams at Beckham Field this year. For the season, the Gamecocks are 16-5 against non-conference teams.

USC returns to SEC action this weekend when the eighth-ranked LSU Tigers come to Columbia. The Saturday doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. while Sunday’s single game will be at 2 p.m.