May 5, 2007
Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina softball team (32-22, 10-16 SEC) dropped a close 1-0 match to the University of Mississippi (24-31, 11-15 SEC) Saturday in the first game of an afternoon doubleheader. Tara Willitt picked up the win for the Rebels after scattering four runs through seven innings and improved to 33-21 on the year. Carolina’s Melissa Hendon recorded the loss and drops to 16-15 on the season.
The shutout loss brings the Gamecocks scoreless inning streak to 42.1 innings with the last run coming for the Gamecocks on April 22 in a 2-0 win over Kentucky.
Ole Miss broke through with the only score of the game in the top of the fourth inning when Ashley Dowdy crossed the plate on a Lauren Rowe RBI single. Dowdy led off the inning with her second double of the game on a drive to left field, which gave the Rebels a runner in scoring position with no outs. After Amber Tramp advanced Dowdy to third on a sacrifice bunt, Hendon struck out Michelle May to give the Gamecocks two outs and a chance to get out of the inning unscathed. Rowe however refused to be the third out, recording a single to left to give the Rebels the lead. Carolina was able to end the damage when the Rebels’ Alyssa McGovern fouled out to end the inning.
The Gamecocks had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh inning when Lisa Long led off the inning with a single through the left side for her second hit of the game. Lindsay Walker successfully advanced Longo to second with a sacrifice bunt to the third baseman Lauren Grill. Grill then followed the play by handling a Hendon groundball and held Longo on second. With two outs, Jacqueline Wetherbee ended the Gamecock rally with a pop out to Lisa Conchos at second base.
The Gamecocks will continue their final regular season series with the second game of a Saturday doubleheader followed by the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
Ole Miss 1, South Carolina 0 (May 05, 2007 at Columbia, S.C.) (Game 1)
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Ole Miss………… 000 100 0 – 1 6 0 (24-31, 11-15)
South Carolina…… 000 000 0 – 0 4 1 (32-22, 10-16)
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Pitchers: Ole Miss – Tara Willitt. South Carolina – Melissa Hendon.
Win-Tara Willitt(11-7) Loss-Melissa Hendon(16-15) T-1:32 A-0
