April 5, 2006
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior McKenna Hughes hit her 20th career home run but it wasn’t enough as the South Carolina Gamecocks fell 5-2 to the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs. With the game two win, Georgia swept the doubleheader to claim the series. Courtney Knight hit a two-out bases loaded double to put the Bulldogs ahead. UGA scored two more runs later in the game to establish the victory.
Christie Hamilton (11-8) gave up five runs on nine hits, while Jessica Doucette (12-4) allowed two runs on three hits.
Hughes provided the Gamecocks their first run in 27 innings as she belted a two-run home run to give Carolina the 2-0 lead in the first inning. That would be the only scoring for the Gamecocks. With the home run, Hughes is now tied for second all-time among USC’s leaders. She is only the third person in school history to record at least 20 career home runs.
Georgia led off the second inning with back-to-back walks and had one more to load the bases with two outs. Knight came through for UGA as she doubled to drive in the three runners and put the Bulldogs in the lead 3-2.
Ashley Godfrey tacked on another run for the Bulldogs in the third when she hit a solo home run over the left field fence to make the score 4-2.
Georgia loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth but Carolina was able to prevent any runs from scoring as the next three batters were retired to get out of the inning.
USC had a three-up, three-down seventh to end the game. The series will conclude Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m. at Beckham Field.
