Feb. 14, 2007
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior pitcher Kate Pouliot (4-0) threw a no-hitter through six innings to guide South Carolina softball to a 4-1 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts Wednesday. McKenna Hughes hit her 25th career home run to become the all-time leader for South Carolina, and led the Gamecocks to their sixth straight win of the season.
“Kate threw the ball well today,” said head coach Joyce Compton. “She threw a few too many pitches, but overall, a good performance. We were very slow at the plate today and Western Carolina pitched well. We were able to make a few adjustments and got a little spark. Sometimes that is what you need on days like these.”
USC ended the scoreless game in the fifth with Hughes’ home run, her third of the season, and took a 2-0 lead. Adele Voigt reached base on an error by Catamount second baseman Tatum Hargett and scored the first run of the game on the home run. That would be all the Gamecocks would need, however they tagged on additional runs in the sixth when Lindsay Walker scored on an error and Ashton Payne hit an RBI-single to score Jessica Josker. The Gamecocks extended its lead to 4-0.
Lisa Longo broke up the no-hitter in the fourth inning for the Gamecocks when she hit a choppy infield single to record the first hit of the game. With two runners on base, USC had another chance to score but a groundout by Becky Martinez ended the inning and stranded the runners once again.
Going into the seventh, the Gamecocks were three outs from the no-hitter and the shutout. WCU then sent in pinch hitter Savannah Filley who shot a single up the first base side to record WCU’s first hit of the game. Pouliot struck out the next two batters but then Lauren Ross doubled to score Nikki Bost, who reentered the game after Filley got on, to break up the shutout and put the Catamounts on the board. The Gamecocks safely got out of the inning with the next batter who grounded out to third base and ended the game.
Pouliot recorded 11 strikeouts, one shy of her career best, and allowed only two hits. Mendy McKenize took the loss for the Catamounts as she fell to 0-3. McKenize gave up four runs on three hits, walked five and struck out seven.
South Carolina returns to action Feb. 16-17 when they play in the Florida State Sunshine Classic in Tallahassee, Fla. USC will open against Kansas on Friday at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
South Carolina 4, Western Carolina 1 (Feb 14, 2007 at Columbia, S.C.)
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Western Carolina…. 000 000 1 – 1 2 2 (0-5)
South Carolina…… 000 022 X – 4 3 0 (6-0)
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Pitchers: Western Carolina – Mendy McKenzie. South Carolina – Kate Pouliot.
Win-Kate Pouliot(4-0) Loss-Mendy McKenzie(0-3) T-1:36 A-206
HR SC – McKenna Hughes (3).
Game notes: McKenna Hughes hit career home run No. 25 and is now the all-time leader for South Carolina.
