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Feb. 14, 2008

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecocks Set To Take On Desert Classic Field
The South Carolina softball team looks to put a rough opening weekend behind it as the Gamecocks head out west to take on five 2007 NCAA Tournament teams at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, hosted by UNLV. In Las Vegas, Carolina will face UCLA, Cal Poly, Oklahoma, Oregon and Cal State Northridge.
This will be the Gamecocks’ fourth trip to Sin City, the last coming in 2003. That season, Carolina went 2-3 in the desert, which included a loss to UCLA in the team’s first game out there. All time in Las Vegas, South Carolina holds a 7-9 record.

Gamecocks All-Time vs. This Weekend’s Opponents
Carolina has a history against all five of the scheduled opponents this weekend at UNLV, albeit not the best against the team’s first opponent. UCLA holds a 10-1 advantage in the series, with the Gamecocks’ only win coming in 2002 during the NCAA Columbia Regional. South Carolina got a 2-1 victory in that match-up to force a second championship game, but the Bruins would win that one, 1-0. In Vegas, the programs have met four times, with UCLA taking all four.
The Gamecocks hold a 1-0 series mark against Cal Poly. That meeting came on Feb. 22, 1997 in the UNLV Classic, where the Garnet and Black got a 2-1 win.
Against Oklahoma, Carolina has gone 5-1 all-time. The only Sooner victory came on March 21, 1996, as Oklahoma downed Carolina, 2-0, in the Pony Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.
Carolina is only 2-3 against Oregon all-time, but the two were huge last season. The Gamecocks came from the loser’s bracket, after being sent their by the Ducks, and defeated the Pac-10 squad twice on championship day at the Columbia Regional to move onto the program’s first Super Regional. Oregon holds a 2-0 record in neutral-site contests, including a 4-0 victory back in the 1994 UNLV Invitational.
The Gamecocks and Matadors of Cal State Northridge have met five times, with Carolina holding a 3-2 advantage. The Matadors took a 1993 doubleheader at home from the Gamecocks, but South Carolina has won all three meetings on neutral ground, the last coming in 2003 at the NCAA Tuscon Regional.

Carolina In The Month of February
Since the Southeastern Conference began its sponsorship of softball, Carolina is 110-48-1 during the second month of the year. Last year, the Gamecocks went 15-2 during the opening month of the softball season. On Feb. 13, Carolina has never lost under Joyce Compton, going 7-0. Carolina is 7-1 on Feb. 15 during the Compton era, while it holds a 7-4 mark on Feb. 16. The 17th of February has seen the Gamecocks go 9-5-1.

Gamecocks Very Experienced Going Into 2008
With a veteran-laden roster returning for the Gamecocks, there is some wonder as to why they were picked so low in the SEC coaches’ poll. Eight position players and the entire pitching staff from a year ago are back for head coach Joyce Compton from last year’s NCAA Super Regional club.
In terms of the offense back, Carolina returns 81 percent of its hits, 76 percent of its runs, 72 percent of its doubles, 71 percent of its runs batted in, 81 percent of its stolen bases and 69 percent of its walks. The only category that the Garnet and Black have a noticable hole to make up is in home runs, where only 48 percent are back. Of course, the 11 long balls hit last year by McKenna Hughes was a program record for one season.

South Carolina Picked to Finish Fourth in SEC East
Despite returning nearly every starter from last season’s NCAA Regional championship squad, the Southeastern Conference coaches picked the Gamecocks to finish fourth in the five-team SEC East in their preseason poll. Florida was chosen to win the East, while Tennessee was picked second. Georgia was selected third, while Kentucky came in fifth. Alabama was the coaches’ choice to win the SEC West and the overall crown.

Schoonmaker Back And Ready to Contribute After Life-Threatening Injury
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, senior Chrissy Schoonmaker had a halo on her upper body to support her neck that had been broken in three places. Last Friday, Schoonmaker finally took the field to start her senior season. The Sebastian, Fla., native has made an amazing recovery from the injury suffered in an accident during her trip back to Columbia, S.C., from Thanksgiving break. The redshirt senior co-captain, who has started at numerous positions for the Gamecocks during her career, drew four starts at first and another at second over the weekend in Boca Raton, Fla.

Longo Stepping Up Early During Senior Campaign
Senior Lisa Longo has been a catalyst in the early going for South Carolina. The Valley Stream, N.Y., native might only be hitting .250, but her five hits have been big ones. Three have been for two bases, including a bases-loaded double that gave Carolina the 3-1 win over North Florida in the season opener.. She also sparked the two-run third against Western Carolina with her lead-off double. She now has 20 career doubles.

Pair of Freshmen Doing Their Job at the Plate
Rookies Jill Semento and Laura Mendes have started their Carolina careers on the right foot. Going into the weekend, the freshmen from Florida lead the team in hitting, with Semento’s .385 average topping Mendes’ .333 clip so far. Mendes has been slightly more productive, scoring two runs while hitting two doubles and driving in three more. Her three runs batted in rank second on the squad in the early going.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. UCLA – Feb. 14, 2003
UCLA took a 12-0 decision over Carolina in the last meeting between the programs on Valentine’s Day 2003. The top-ranked Bruins hit four home runs in the contest to take the win.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Cal Poly – Feb. 22, 1997
Carolina defeated the Mustangs, 2-1, in the only meeting between the programs during the 1997 UNLV Softball Classic. The game went into extra innings, with both teams scoring in the eighth when the international tiebreaker came into effect. Kim Pietro had the game-winning RBI in the ninth on her single, scoring Chanda Lee.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Oklahoma – Feb. 24, 2001
The Gamecocks shut out the Sooners, 4-0, during the 2001 NFCA Leadoff Classic. Megan Matthews scattered five hits over seven innings of work while striking out 15 in the shutout win. Megan Donohoo went 3-for-4 with two runs scored as well.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Oregon – May 20, 2007
Jessica Josker continued her heroics from the weekend with a walk-off single to complete South Carolina’s comeback from the loser’s bracket to win the Columbia Regional over No. 20 Oregon, 4-3. The Gamecocks were down, 3-1, heading into the sixth before clawing their way to the win. Melissa Hendon picked up her 20th victory in the contest.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Cal State Northridge – May 16, 2003
Jodi Fittro’s two-run home run in the fourth inning proved to be the winning difference for South Carolina as the Gamecocks defeated Cal State Northridge, 5-3, in an elimination game of the NCAA Tucson Regional at Tucson, Ariz. Starter Melanie Henkes went six innings as she gave up three runs on nine hits. Aleca Johnson played a critical role in the bottom of the seventh as she recorded her fourth save of the season.