March 4, 2007
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior Pitcher Melissa Hendon pitched her first ever perfect game and helped guide South Carolina to a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon. This marks the first perfect game for the Gamecocks since Trinity Johnson recorded one on April 17, 1997. Hendon (6-1) struck out 14 as she posted her fourth shutout of the year and her fourth consecutive win. South Carolina is now 17-3 while Pittsburgh falls to 2-8. Meghan Bostick (1-2) took the loss for the Panthers.
Offensively, South Carolina struggled at the plate, but was able to get a run across to capture the win. Becky Martinez hit an RBI single to score McKenna Hughes in the sixth and put USC up 1-0. The Gamecocks recorded six hits overall off of Bostick, but struck out 12 times.
The Gamecocks missed an opportunity to score in the first inning when they led off with three straight hits by Lindsay Walker, Jessica Josker and Hughes to load the bases. Pittsburgh’s Bostick then settled down and retired the next three batters to get out of the inning untouched as the Gamecocks’ batters were left stranded.
In the sixth, Hughes drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a two-out single by Wetherbee. Hughes scored from second when Martinez looped a single to right field. During the same at bat, Wetherbee advanced to third and attempted to come home to score but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Gamecocks preserved the perfect game for Hendon in the seventh as the Panthers went down in order with a fly out and two strikeouts. Hendon caught Alex Shoemaker looking to complete the perfect game.
The win marked the eighth shut out of the season for the Gamecocks. USC is now 5-0 all-time against the Panthers.
South Carolina 1, Pittsburgh 0 (Mar 04, 2007 at Columbia, S.C.) (Game 1)
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Pittsburgh………. 000 000 0 – 0 0 0 (2-8)
South Carolina…… 000 001 X – 1 6 0 (17-3)
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Pitchers: Pittsburgh – BOSTICK. South Carolina – Melissa Hendon.
Win-Melissa Hendon(6-1) Loss-BOSTICK(1-2) T-1:24 A-0
Game notes: Hendon pitched a perfect game. This marks the first perfect game for South Carolina since April 17, 1997.
