May 19, 2007
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jacqueline Wetherbee hit a three-run home run to propel the South Carolina Gamecocks to a 5-2 victory over the N.C. State Wolfpack in day one of the NCAA Regionals. The Gamecocks improve to 35-23 as Melissa Hendon (18-16) recorded the win. N.C. State is now 41-20 as Abbie Sims (26-7) took the loss. South Carolina will now face Oregon at 1 p.m. Saturday, and N.C. State will take on Penn State in an elimination game at 4 p.m.
“I think today we came out and played solid defense in the first couple of innings and that really propelled us into the later innings, especially when Adele (Voigt) threw the runner out at home,” said head coach Joyce Compton. “It is nice to get some runs early. That kind of set the whole tone of the game. They answered with some runs but we were able to answer them back. Melissa (Hendon) did a good job of keeping the hitters off balance and she figured them out in the early innings. After that, we played solid defense and were pretty aggressive.”
In the first, it looked as if N.C. State would jump on the board first as Jen Chamberlin singled with two outs before stealing second. Sims then followed with a single to left field and Chamberlin advanced to third and charged home, only to be thrown out by Adele Voigt from left field at home plate. The out ended the inning and saved the Gamecocks.
Wetherbee’s second-inning home run set the tone for the Gamecocks as she carried the 2-1 count over the left field wall, driving in Lindsay Walker and Hendon, who walked and singled, respectively to reach base safely. The three-run homer was the first for South Carolina since March 10 against Arkansas.
“I just saw the ball coming at me and luckily it paid off,” said Wetherbee. “It wouldn’t have been that impressive if it weren’t for the runners on base, so I am really proud of my team.”
The Wolfpack answered back in the bottom half with a run, but not before an outstanding catch in left field by Voigt, who robbed Miranda Ervin of a sure extra-base hit and an RBI. N.C. State did get a run across when the next batter, Megan Dalthorp, hit an RBI single to drive in Shanna Smith, who doubled to get on earlier in the inning.
The Gamecocks continued to stay aggressive and tacked on two more runs in the third when McKenna Hughes scored from third on a passed ball and Lindsay Walker hit an RBI single to score Jessica Josker, putting South Carolina up 5-1.
For the next four innings, Hendon held N.C. State to just two hits and one run, including retiring eight straight batters in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
The Wolfpack did score their final run in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Beth Poore to cut the Gamecocks lead to three, but Hendon pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to capture the win for South Carolina.
“Everyone knows that we are down to the top teams in the nation and every team you play is going to be great,” said Hendon. “We play in a tough conference and have had tough games all year that has prepared us for the post-season.
With the win, South Carolina is now 2-0 against N.C. State all-time and 2-3 against ACC Teams this season. It was also Carolina’s first-opening round win of the NCAA Tournament since 2003. The Gamecocks are now 26-24 in the NCAA Tournament.
The winner of the South Carolina vs. Oregon game will advance to the championship round on Sunday. The loser will face the winner of the elimination game between N.C. State vs. Penn State in a 7 p.m. contest Saturday evening.
South Carolina 5, NC State 2 (May 18, 2007 at Columbia, S.C.)
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South Carolina…… 032 000 0 – 5 6 0 (35-23)
NC State………… 010 001 0 – 2 6 2 (41-20)
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Pitchers: South Carolina – Melissa Hendon. NC State – Abbie Sims; Shaina Ervin(6).
Win-Melissa Hendon(18-16) Loss-Abbie Sims(26-7) T-2:06 A-687
HR SC – Jacqueline Wetherbee (3).
