April 3, 2005
Lexington, Ky. – South Carolina posted a run-rule victory over the Kentucky Wildcats Sunday with a 12-2 five-inning rout and improved to 23-14 and 6-5 in the SEC. Kate Pouliot (6-5) recorded the win as she pitched three innings and gave up one hit. Jessica Josker went 3-for-3 with three runs and Meghan Cornett went 2-for-2 with two runs and four RBIs. Catcher Ashley Smith hit a grand slam to mark her third home run of the season, 14th of her career.
The Gamecocks led off the game with two walks and a hit batter to load the bases. USC was able to score three runs on no hits in the first to go up 3-0.
USC scored five runs in the second including the grand slam home run by Smith to give the Gamecocks an 8-0 lead. South Carolina loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Smith slammed the pitch deep over the left centerfield fence.
Kentucky jumped on the board in the bottom of the second as starter Melanie Henkes gave up a two-run home run to Katie Campbell and cut USC’s lead to 8-2. The Gamecocks took those two runs back plus two in the third when Becky Martinez scored on a sac fly by Longo and Cornett hit her third long ball of the season, to score Josker and Kristin Hall and the Garnet and Black went ahead 12-2.
Pouliot held the Wildcats hitless until the fifth inning when Ashley Fertic singled through short left field with two outs. That would be all Kentucky would get as Pouliot got the next batter to pop up and end the game.
South Carolina recorded 12 runs on nine hits and had one error and the Wildcats got two runs on four hits with one error. This marked the Gamecocks third game this season to record more than 10 hits in a game.
Team 123 45 R H E
USC 354 00 12 9 1
UK 020 00 2 4 1
WP: Pouliot (6-5)
LP: Kendall (0-2)
