March 7, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecocks start the 28-game Southeastern Conference schedule with a three-game series against the Lady Razorbacks of Arkansas at Beckham Field on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., while first pitch for Sunday is also set for 1 p.m.

Gamecocks All-Time vs. Arkansas
The Gamecocks and Lady Razorbacks have met 30 times in history, with South Carolina owning a 21-9 (.700) record against Arkansas. That’s the third-best mark against a league foe for Carolina, behind Kentucky (29-8, .784) and Mississippi (20-7, .741). At Beckham Field, the Garnet and Black have an 8-4 record over the Lady’Backs, including six straight victories, dating back to 2002.

Carolina in the Month of March
In the Joyce Compton era, Carolina is 453-137 (.768) during the third month of the year. Last season, the Gamecocks went 10-10 in the month of March. On the eighth of March, Carolina has a nearly-perfect 13-2 mark with Compton at the helm, including a 2-0 record against Arkansas on that date. On March 9th, the Gamecocks are 14-7, which includes a 2-1 mark against the Lady Razorbacks.

SEC Lid-Lifter and Opening Series History for Gamecocks
The Gamecocks have usually gotten off to a good start in the 12 previous years of Southeastern Conference softball. Joyce Compton’s charges have compiled a 23-12 record in the opening series, including a 14-7 mark since the advent of the three-game series to the league in 2001. In the first game of the conference slate, the Gamecocks have gone 9-3. Carolina and Arkansas have met the most times to start the season, as this will be the fifth time the programs have clashed on the initial weekend. The Garnet and Black have swept the series in each of the last two openers against the Lady’Backs in 2007 and 2005.

Payne Streaking Again
Maybe a day off is what junior Ashton Payne needed. After not starting against Western Carolina, Payne has gone on a tear. A pinch-hit single against the Catamounts started a 14-game hitting streak for the Richmond, Va., native that has carried her through the last three weekends. The skein is Carolina’s longest since 2003, when Jodi Fittro had an 11-game stretch that started against Furman and continued through the first day of the NCAA Regional in Tucson, Ariz. Of course, Payne is no stranger to hitting streaks. She owns the longest during both of her previous two seasons on campus, both 10 games.

She now leads the squad in hits (25) and runs (10) while she is tied for the top spot in doubles (4) and triples (1). Payne also has shown her versatility, starting nine games at second base and eight in left field. She has reached base in all but one game so far in 2008, that being the last game against North Florida during the opening weekend of the season.

Semento Stepping Up Early During Her Freshman Campaign
Rookie Jill Semento has been a big part of Carolina’s offense during the early part of 2008. The Umatilla, Fla., freshman leads the team in batting average (.438), while she is far and away tops among Gamecocks with her .688 slugging percentage, .518 on-base percentage, two home runs and three HBP. She also is tied for the top spot in doubles (4) and triples (1). She has reached base safely in all but one game that she’s played, that being in the second game against North Florida. She has a team-best .414 average with runners on base and .571 mark with runners in scoring position. She’s moved at least one runner up on 62 percent of her chances this season, tops on the squad.

She had another stellar weekend during the Carolina Classic. She led the Gamecocks with a .538 batting average, collecting a triple, a homer and three RBI. She stands second on the squad with nine RBI.

Mendes Bringing Them In At The Plate
Freshman Laura Mendes has been a force in the middle of Joyce Compton’s lineup so far in 2008. The Loxahatchee, Fla., native ranks third on the squad with seven runs batted in. She’s tied for fourth on the team with three doubles and has one of Carolina’s five home runs on the season. Mendes also stands fourth on the squad with a .298 batting average. Her .400 on-base percentage and seven walks rank third and second, respectively, on the team among regulars. Mendes carries a team-high 16-game on-base streak into the weekend. The only game that she did not reach first in her initial collegiate game, against North Florida.

Fulmer Cementing Spot in Lineup, Behind the Plate
Freshman catcher P.J. Fulmer took some time to get adjusted to the college game, but she is now a regular contributor for head coach Joyce Compton. The Blythewood, S.C., native has come on recently with a pair of mini-hitting streaks (three games each) to raise her batting average to .257. Going into the USF Louisville Slugger Tournament, Fulmer did not have a hit. Since then, she has hit .409 and had a pair of RBI. Her first major offensive contribution, however, didn’t come via a base hit. Her sacrifice fly against Georgia Tech gave Carolina the 1-0 victory in the first game down in Tampa.

Not only has Fulmer done better at the plate, but she’s also been a great addition behind the plate. She has not committed an error behind the plate and gone 2-for-9 on catching would-be base thieves. The staff has also allowed Fulmer to call pitches, and she has especially meshed well with senior Melissa Hendon, helping her to a 23.1 inning shutout streak.

Seniors Dealing Goose Eggs
After a rough start to the season, senior pitchers Melissa Hendon and Kate Pouliot have come around recently. Both finished in the SEC top 10 in earned run average last season, and now they are bidding to do that yet again. Hendon has won her last three starts, all in shutouts, while striking out 26 in five appearances (23.1 innings). She also collected a save during that stretch. Hendon is 1.2 innings away from breaking her personal-best mark of 24.2 innings without allowing a run.

Pouliot has also been stronger, especially last weekend. She carried a perfect game into the sixth against Bucknell in her first game before allowing a run in the seventh, the only run allowed by Carolina’s staff during the home tournament. Not satisfied with Saturday’s work, Pouliot came back on Sunday and was even better, throwing her first career no-hitter against the Bison. She matched her season best with seven K’s whle allowing only one walk in the contest. She now has a 3-1 record with a staff-best 1.14 ERA.

Robinson Back from Elbow Ligament Replacement with Look of an Ace
Redshirt freshman Krystle Robinson had a rough go of things during her first year in Columbia. She pitched in just five games before a torn ligament in her throwing arm ended her season. Now after working her way back, she has become the force that Joyce Compton and staff thought she could be after recruiting her from Valdosta, Ga. Robinson has thrown two straight shutouts in her starts, and, in her last contest, she mowed down a career-high 12 batters in the complete-game victory over Gardner-Webb. For the season, Robinson is 5-3 with a 1.53 ERA and a save.

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, has been penciled into the line-up for 12 games and pinch run in two others so far in 2008.

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’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 hole to make up is home runs, where only 48 percent are back. The 11 long balls hit last year by McKenna Hughes was a single-season record.

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.

Is the Old Adage Right? Stay Tuned
This weekend’s series between South Carolina and Arkansas could be another test for the old saying “good pitching beats good hitting.” The Gamecocks come in with the league’s fifth-best ERA (1.28), while they stand atop the league by only allowing one home run. The pitching staff will face one of the league’s top slugging teams in the Lady Razorbacks. The Hogs come in with a .501 team slugging percentage, second-best in the league. Arkansas also leads the SEC with 29 home runs while standing second in runs scored (142), hits (180), runs batted in (124) and total bases (298). The Lady’Backs also lead in one other category: strikeouts (119).

The deciding factor could be defense. Carolina seems to have the advantage there, as the Garnet and Black hold a .959 fielding percentage, compared to Arkansas’ .951. Arkansas leads the league with 30 errors and have only caught one would-be base stealers. Carolina has made 24 errors and has thrown out three players.

Scouting the Lady Razorbacks
Arkansas enters the first weekend of SEC play with a 18-4 mark after going 3-2 last weekend in the Wilson DeMarini Invitational in Tempe, Ariz. The Lady’Backs have faced one ranked foe, the new No. 1 Arizona State, and fell against the Sun Devils last weekend in eight innings, 6-5. As a team, Arkansas ranks second in the league in slugging with a .501 mark while leading the way with 29 home runs. The Lady’Backs have scored 142 runs this season, second-best in the SEC. Nearly one-third of their hits have been for extra bases. Their pitching is not as stellar in the league stats, ranking eighth in ERA (1.82) and 10th in opponent batting average (.223). Fielding is also a struggle for Arkansas, as the team is 10th in the SEC stats with a .951 fielding percentage.

Leading the team in hitting is sophomore Miranda Dixon, who brings a .484 average into the weekend. She also tops the squad with a .984 slugging percentage, a .584 on-base percentage and 26 runs batted in. Sophomore Sandra Smith leads the way with eight home runs and stands second with 24 RBI. Senior Samantha Buckner holds a .391 batting average and a .734 slugging percentage, both second on the team. Dixon also is one of Arkansas’ best hurler, holding a 6-2 recore with a 1.33 ERA, tops on the team. Senior Katy Henry has started half of the team’s games and holds a 10-1 record.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Arkansas – March 11, 2007
South Carolina came from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks on Sunday for the three-game series sweep. Junior pitcher Melissa Hendon had a no-hitter thru 6.2 innings as she held Arkansas to two hits and one unearned run. Jessica Josker came in to pinch hit for South Carolina and drove in the tying run and scored the winning run. Katy Henry picked up the loss, allowing four runs, two earned, in 6.2 innings pitched.