March 6, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecock softball gears up to host Coastal Carolina in a midweek doubleheader Wednesday. South Carolina (18-3) will take to the field against the Lady Chants (5-13) at 4 p.m. at Beckham Field. This will be the last non-conference series before the Garnet and Black begin Southeastern Conference play this weekend. The Gamecocks control the series with a 37-5 record, however, Coastal has won the last three meetings.

South Carolina is coming off of a 3-1 weekend after splitting a doubleheader with Charlotte and sweeping Pittsburgh. The Gamecocks’ 18-3 start is the best in 21 games since the Garnet and Black went 19-2 in 1997. Coastal just completed a 2-3 stint at the Red and Blue Classic in Oxford, Miss. The Lady Chants recorded victories against Stephen F. Austin and Southern Miss, but fell to Alcorn State, Ole Miss and Kennesaw State.

As a team, South Carolina is hitting .283 while Coastal is hitting .237. Opponents are hitting an average of .167 against the Gamecocks, while the Lady Chants’ opponents are hitting .309 against them. In the circle, USC has a 1.06 ERA and Coastal’s staff has a 4.62 ERA.

Junior pitcher Kate Pouliot leads the Gamecocks in wins with a 10-1 record and a 0.49 ERA, while Melissa Hendon has won her last four outings and is 6-1 with a 1.09 ERA. Hendon leads the team in strikeouts and recorded her 100th of the season and her career in game one against Pittsburgh last weekend.

Hendon is also swinging the hot bat for South Carolina. She is hitting .345 with 20 hits and seven RBI, including going 3-for-3 at the plate in game two against Pittsburgh.

All games can be followed live via Internet audio broadcast and through Gametracker on uscsports.com.