March 13, 2005
Columbia, S.C. – A one-out two RBI double by freshman Stefanie Norman in the first inning was enough for South Carolina (20-10, 5-1) to shut out No. 12/13 LSU (17-5, 1-2) 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Beckham Field. The win clinched the series 2-1 for the Gamecocks and it marked the first series win for USC against the Tigers since 1997. Freshman Kate Pouliot recorded the win and improved to 5-3 while Tiffany Garcia suffered her first loss of the season and fell to 5-1.
USC recorded four hits off of Garcia, including three doubles by Norman, Kristin Hall and Meghan Cornett.
Cornett got things started in the first when she doubled to center field to give the Gamecocks their first base runner. McKenna Hughes then drew a walk and during Norman’s at bat, both runners then advanced on a wild pitch. Norman then hit a hard double to right field and drove in the two runs.
The Tigers were pretty quiet in the next three innings but in the fifth, Lauren Delahoussaye led off with a single to right field. On a sacrifice bunt, the runner advanced to second and on a single by Andrew Smith moved pinch runner Lauren Uhle to third with one out. In a jam, Pouliot buckled down and got Camille Harris to strikeout swinging and Quinlan Duhon grounded out to third for the third out and ended the inning with USC’s 2-0 lead still in effect.
In the sixth, LSU led off with another hit, this time a double by Lauren Castle. Castle was able to advance to third on a groundout and for the second straight inning, LSU had a runner at third with one out. Pouliot, in a jam again, was able to get out of the inning as Stephanie Hill flied out to Jessica Josker in right field and Leslie Klein grounded out to second to strand the runner and end the inning.
Just three outs away from the win, Delahoussaye hit the ball to third base but an error by Becky Martinez allowed the runner to reach safely. Delahoussaye was eventually thrown out on a fielder’s choice for the first out. With a runner at first, Erika Sluss came in to pinch hit and hit right into a double play as Hall tossed the ball over to Lisa Longo at second base and then on to Cornett at first for the final two outs and to end the game.
The Gamecocks return to action this Tuesday when they host No. 5/6 Tennessee. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Team 123 456 7 R H E
LSU 000 000 0 0 5 2
USC 200 000 X 2 4 1
WP: Pouliot (5-3)
LP: Garcia (5-1)
