May 15, 2004
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Auburn All-SEC pitcher Kristin Keyes held the South Carolina Gamecocks hitless for 6.2 innings Friday as the Tigers defeated the Gamecocks 2-0 and eliminated USC from the SEC Tournament. Chrissy Schoonmaker recorded the lone hit for USC as the Gamecocks fell to 27-22 for the season. Schoonmaker was the only Gamecock to reach base twice in the game as she drew one of two walks.
Senior Stacey Johnson took the loss for South Carolina and fell to 16-12 for the year. Johnson allowed two runs on six hits as the Tigers improved to 40-15. Keyes picked up her 25th win of the season and is now 25-10.
Auburn scored its two runs in the third inning when Kristina McCain drove in two runs with a single. Lolani Alvarez, who led off the inning with a walk, and Lauren Walton scored from second and third to put the Tigers on the board.
South Carolina got their first base runner in the fourth when Meghan Cornett drew a one-out walk, but Keyes held the Gamecocks in check as McKenna Hughes and Ashley Smith both flew out to end the innings and stranded Cornett.
The Gamecocks’ second base runner came in the fifth when Schoonmaker led off with a walk but again was unable to advance as Keyes shut down USC and forced three straight fly outs.
In the seventh, Schoonmaker broke up the no-hitter when she looped a single to left field but a fly out to deep centerfield by Amber Curtis ended USC’s chances of advancing in the tournament.
The Gamecocks now have a 15-13 record at the SEC Tournament and this marks the first time USC has gone 0-2 at the tournament.
