Feb. 11, 2007
BOCA RATON, Fla. – South Carolina scored five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the FAU Owls 7-4 Saturday night at the FAU Miken Invitational. McKenna Hughes tied South Carolina’s all-time career home run record when she belted out a three-run long ball in the eighth inning to provide the eventual game winning runs for the Gamecocks. USC improved to 4-0 while the Owls are now 3-1. The two teams will meet again on Sunday at 1 p.m. to close out the tournament.
South Carolina broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning when Ashton Payne, who went 3-for-5, hit an RBI-triple, the first of the season, to score Tori Martin from second. Martin was placed at second because the International tie-breaker rule went into effect in the eighth. Adele Voigt, who went 2-for-4, then singled to give USC base runners at the corners. From there, Hughes pounded a pitch off of Amber Barton (0-1) to centerfield and drove in three runs, putting the Garnet and Black up 6-2.
USC batted through the lineup and loaded the bases as Martin stepped to the plate. Martin drew a two-out walk to force home Jessica Josker and the Gamecocks posted a 7-2 lead. That gave South Carolina a five-run cushion going into the bottom half of the inning.
The lead did not keep FAU back as the Owls rallied back. FAU placed Lauren Crandell at second and after Pouliot struck out the first batter, Mandie Fishback hit a home run to left center field and cut the lead to 7-4 for FAU. Pouliot walked another batter before recording her second strikeout of the inning and with two outs gave up another hit, allowing the Owls to bring the tying run to the plate. Pouliot got out of the inning as she caught Melissa Moore swinging for the third and final out of the game.
The Gamecocks scored fast and early as they led off with three back-to-back hits by Payne, Voigt and Hughes to load the bases. Hendon hit a grounder but a play at the plate was made for the first out. Lindsay Walker then reached on a fielder’s choice as FAU’s Blair Bodenmiller tried to tag Hughes on her way to third but missed and two runs came in for the Gamecocks to go up 2-0.
Bodenmiller led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to cut the game in half 2-1. Becky Brandies singled to reach safely and scored on a one-out RBI double by Amber Barton to tie the game 2-2 for the Owls in the same inning.
Hendon started the game and in six innings pitched, gave up two runs on five hits and recorded career high 12 strikeouts. Pouliot pitched two innings and gave up two runs on two hits and struck out six as she improved to 3-0.
Hughes, who went 2-for-4 for the game, tied Joyce McMillin for the all-time home run leader mark. McMillin played for the Gamecocks from 1998-2001.
South Carolina 7, FAU 4 (Feb 10, 2007 at Boca Raton, Fla.)
———————————————————————-
South Carolina…… 200 000 05 – 7 10 3 (4-0)
FAU…………….. 000 200 02 – 4 7 1 (3-1)
———————————————————————-
Pitchers: South Carolina – Melissa Hendon; Kate Pouliot(7). FAU – Amber Barton.
Win-Kate Pouliot(3-0) Loss-Amber Barton(0-1) T-2:11 A-0
HR SC – McKenna Hughes
HR FAU – Mandie Fishback; Blair Bodenmiller.
