Feb. 21, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecock softball team will travel to Charleston for a midweek in-state match-up against the College of Charleston Cougars Thursday. The doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant. South Carolina enters the contest with an 8-2 record, while the Cougars are 5-4.

This marks the fifth meeting between the two teams and the Garnet and Black own a 4-0 record in the series. Last year, the two teams met and South Carolina swept the doubleheader. This will be the first trip to Charleston for the Gamecocks. The first meeting was in 2004 at the Gamecock Invitational.

Batting .452 for the season, senior catcher McKenna Hughes leads South Carolina. Hughes leads the team in hits with 14, RBI (13), runs (10) and home runs (5). Kate Pouliot leads the team in wins with a 5-0 record and has a 0.84 ERA.

Kristie Shifflett leads the Cougars with a .421 average and seven runs, while Izema Cabrera leads the team in hits with 12.

The Gamecocks are looking to get back on the winning track after suffering a loss to No. 22 Florida State in their last outing. C of C is coming off of a 4-1 stint at the Cougar Classic last weekend. Both teams are currently hitting .293 for the season.

The game can be followed live via Internet audio broadcast and through Gametracker on uscsports.com.