March 10, 2007
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ashton Payne drove in the lone South Carolina run as the Gamecocks defeated the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks 1-0 in its Southeastern Conference opener Saturday. Becky Martinez went 2-for-3 and scored the run as the Gamecocks posted six hits against Katy Henry (7-6). Melissa Hendon recorded her first SEC victory as she is now 8-1. She gave up three hits to the Lady Razorbacks and struck out five. The Gamecocks improve to 21-3, 1-0 in the SEC and Arkansas falls to 10-15, 0-1 in SEC play.
Payne returned to the lineup after missing five games due to an ankle injury, and in her third at-bat she singled to score Becky Martinez, who reached on a single with one out. Payne has now hit in 17 of the 19 games she has played in.
Arkansas recorded the first hit of the game when Brittany Robison, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, singled to left field to lead off the third inning. Robison stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, but was stranded after Hendon retired the next three batters and prevented the run from scoring.
South Carolina erased Henry’s chance of a no-hitter in the top of the fourth when Hendon hit a two-out single to right field on the first pitch. The Gamecocks would not get a run across however, as Jessica Josker grounded out in the next at bat to end the inning.
The Gamecocks continued to fight back and in the fifth inning USC posted three hits to get a run on the board. Martinez singled with one out and Jacqueline Wetherbee followed with another hit. The base runners advanced on a sacrifice by Adele Voigt and Payne came through with an RBI single to right field to score Martinez and give the Gamecocks the 1-0 lead.
Arkansas threatened in the bottom half of the inning as Hendon gave up a double to Robison and a walk to Samantha Buckner and the Lady `Backs had runners at second and first. Arkansas inched closer to scoring as the runners advanced to third and second on a ground out but Payne caught a deep fly ball to right field by Jessica Bachkora to end the inning and stranded the runners.
Hendon and the Gamecocks retired the next six batters in order to clinch the win. South Carolina is now 8-3 in conference openers and 4-0 against Arkansas in conference openers.
South Carolina 1, Arkansas 0 (Mar 10, 2007 at Fayetteville, Ark.) (Game 1)
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South Carolina…… 000 010 0 – 1 6 0 (21-3, 1-0)
Arkansas………… 000 000 0 – 0 3 1 (10-15, 0-1)
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Pitchers: South Carolina – Melissa Hendon. Arkansas – Katy Henry.
Win-Melissa Hendon(8-1) Loss-Katy Henry(7-6) T-1:31 A-219
