Feb. 13, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. – A well-rested South Carolina softball team improved to 6-1 on the year as they defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 9-0 in six innings Sunday at the Kajikawa Tournament at Arizona State University. USC recorded their fourth game of the year where they registered more than 10 hits as they posted 12 against the Badgers. Jessica Josker went 3-for-3 at the plate while Ashley Smith, Lisa Longo and Chrissy Schoonmaker each drove in three runs. Jessica Barnes (3-0) gave up no runs on seven hits while Eden Brock took the loss for Wisconsin.
USC jumped on the board early as they exploded with a five-run first. The first five batters reached base safely including a lead-off double by Jessica Josker. Lisa Longo drove in the Gamecocks’ first two runs of the game as Meghan Cornett and McKenna Hughes scored on the RBI-single. Carolina added three more runs when Chrissy Schoonmaker hit her first home run of the season and scored pinch runner Margaret Person and Longo.
Second baseman Kaitlin Reiss broke up the no-hitter by Barnes as she hit a sharp single back up the middle to provide the Badgers their second base runner of the game. Wisconsin would get another hit by Sam Polito but a groundout by Joey Daniels would end the inning and preserve USC’s 5-0 lead.
In the fourth, Ashley Smith drew a bases loaded walk to add another run and score Darcy Norem. The Gamecocks continued to have the bases loaded with one out but Longo hit into a double play that resulted in the outs of Josker and Cornett who were thrown out at home and third respectively.
In the fifth, Wisconsin had the bases loaded with no outs before Daniels hit into a double play and Kristin Hall made the out at home, then Hughes threw to first for the second out. With runners at third and second, the Badgers continued to threaten but the Gamecocks got their final out of the inning on a heads up play when Hughes and Schoonmaker picked off Polito at second.
Carolina went up 9-0 in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Smith and Longo, giving USC three home runs in the game, four on the year.
USC returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 16 when they host Virginia Tech at 3 p.m. at Beckham Field.
Team 123 456 R H E
USC 500 103 9 12 0
WIS 000 000 0 7 4
WP: Barnes (3-0)
LP: Brock (0-1)
