April 15, 2005

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina softball returns to SEC action this weekend as they host No. 9/12 Alabama. Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET) and Sunday’s single game is set for 1 p.m. as well. The Gamecocks are 24-21-1 and 7-11 in the SEC, while Alabama is 45-9, 16-5 in the SEC. The Tide currently has a two-game lead over Auburn in the SEC West.

As a team, the Crimson Tide is hitting .299 while USC is hitting .262. In the circle, Alabama has an ERA of 1.54 and the Gamecocks’ ERA is 2.83.

Last year, Alabama won the series 2-1 in Tuscaloosa. Overall, USC leads the series 14-10 but the Gamecocks have lost their last two meetings against the Tide. Carolina’s last series win against the Tide came in 2001 and that was held in Columbia.

In SEC play, Meghan Cornett leads the team with 21 hits and a .420 batting average. Ashley Smith leads the team in RBI with 13. Freshman Lisa Longo has scored the most runs in SEC play with 10.

The Gamecocks have not won a game since April 3 at Kentucky, while the Tide has not lost a game since April 2 against Ole Miss.

All games can be followed live via live stats or audio Internet broadcast on uscsports.com.