March 26, 2005
Auburn, Ala. – South Carolina fell to 20-13 and 5-4 in the SEC as they lost game one to No. 25 Auburn 10-8. USC rallied in the seventh with three runs but fell short and stranded two runners on base to end the game. McKenna Hughes hit her seventh home run of the season and went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.
Lisa Longo was the Gamecocks’ only other batter to record a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-2 and scored two runs. Ashley Smith went 1-for-3 and drove in USC’s other two runs.
Melanie Henkes (9-4) started the game for the Gamecocks and threw two innings. During her outing, she allowed eight runs on nine hits, including two home runs. Aleca Johnson entered the game in the third and threw four innings. The Tigers managed two runs on two hits against Johnson. Auburn combined for 14 hits and 10 runs off of both pitchers. Holly Currie (14-5) picked up the win for Auburn while Beth DiPietro earned her first save of the season.
The Gamecocks gave up five runs in the first to the Tigers as Auburn connected on six hits, including a three-run home run by designated player Anne Norton to take a 5-0 lead.
USC returned in the top of the second with three runs. Stefanie Norman led off with a single followed by Lisa Longo who drew a walk. With no outs, Chrissy Schoonmaker singled to load the bases. Norman then scored when Smith drew the walk, and kept the bases loaded. After a strikeout by Becky Martinez, Kristin Hall then singled to drive in Longo and an error by Sara Ghezzi in right field allowed Hall to advance to third and Schoonmaker to score. Margaret Person, who pinch ran for Smith was thrown out at the plate and USC cut the lead to two, 5-3.
Auburn scored again in the bottom half of the second on a home run by Currie and put the Tigers up 6-3. USC continued to fight as they tacked on two more runs in the third when Hughes hit her two-shot home run. The long ball brought USC to within one, 6-5.
However, in the third, the Gamecocks could not prevent Auburn from scoring as connected on back-to-back singles and drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. A wild pitch by Henkes added another run for Auburn before USC changed pitchers. A passed ball allowed another run to score and the Gamecocks found themselves down 8-5.
Down 10-5 in the seventh, USC rallied and scored three to close the gap to within two. With two outs, Hughes walked and Norman reached on an error by Ashley Griffin. Longo then followed with a walk to load the bases and Schoonmaker drew another walk to bring home Hughes. Auburn then brought in DiPietro and Smith singled to drive in two. That would be all the Gamecocks would get across as DiPietro struck out Becky Martinez to end the inning and the game, and picked up her first save of the year.
Team 123 456 7 R H E
USC 032 000 3 8 7 1
AUB 512 200 X 10 14 4
WP: Currie (14-5)
LP: Henkes (9-4)
