March 4, 2010

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Gamecocks continue a season-long 10-game road trip in this weekend’s Easton Classic, hosted by Alabama. South Carolina faces DePaul and seventh-ranked Michigan twice each during the Easton Classic at the Alabama Softball Complex. Follow all the action via Gametracker or on the audio broadcast on Gamecock All-Access at GamecocksOnline.com

Ramping up to SEC Play
South Carolina has taken on some good teams already, but the best non-conference foes lie ahead this weekend. A preseason top 10, Michigan has held onto that position after going 3-3 against nationally-ranked teams already, including a 1-2 mark against Southeastern Conference teams in the top 25. DePaul has fallen out of the top 25 at 6-4, but the Blue Demons enter the weekend on a five-game winning streak, winning the tournament at Coastal Carolina last week. The four losses came to LSU, North Carolina and Texas twice. The first two were preseason top-25 squads (with LSU holding in strong), while Texas has vaulted to 15th thanks to its strong start.

Schedule Ranks Among The Toughest
Head coach Joyce Compton always assembles a tough schedule for her squads, but the rise of the SEC has helped make that schedule automatically among the toughest in the nation the past few seasons. This year is no exception, as the Gamecocks are slated to face three of the top five and eight of the top 25 teams in the preseason polls this season. Of those 20 games against the preseason top 25, 14 of those games will come away from Beckham Field. In fact, all 11 games against the preseason top 10 will happen in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Gainesville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

While facing three of the top five is rough, the Gamecocks have had tougher slates before in regular-season play. Twice South Carolina has faced four of the top five teams in the preseason NFCA coaches poll in 2001 and 2003 and three on two more occasions in 1997 and 1999. There will be no sympathy from another SEC member, however, as Auburn is slated to face all five top-five teams this year.

Bats Show Early Life
While snow kept South Carolina from starting its season as planned, things have generally gone well at the plate for the Gamecocks. The team has won two mercy rule-shortened games (Coastal Carolina and North Florida), while another went seven but was a 15-1 Gamecock win. The squad owns two season bests in the SEC this year, including eight doubles in the Coastal Carolina victory. South Carolina still stands third in doubles in the SEC with 21 on the year.

Childs Ties Another Single-Game Record In Romp Of Longwood
Sophomore Evan Childs is becoming known for big bursts of offense early in the year. In her second career game, she tied the program record with two homers against the College of Charleston. This season, she waited until game four to put up a historic mark. The Conway, S.C., native hit three doubles in the second game against Longwood, tying Ashley Smith’s six-year-old record. Through 14 games, Childs stands second on the team in on-base percentage (.422) and slugging percentage (.525) while ranking third in batting average (.350).

Mendes, Walker Lead Gamecocks To Season-Opening Win
Behind two doubles by both senior Lindsay Walker and junior Laura Mendes, the Gamecocks won their first game of the 2010 season over Coastal Carolina. Those four doubles accounted for half of the Gamecocks’ total of eight, the most since a six-double outbreak against Mercer on March 5, 2005. The 17 hits were the most since South Carolina recorded 20 in a 15-2 (5 inn.) win over South Dakota State earlier on that same day in `05.

Back to Bash
Junior Laura Mendes ranks as the top Gamecock hitter returning from last year’s squad. Her powerful left-handed bat should once again anchor the lineup, where she hopes to best her eight doubles and two triples from a year ago, both of which led the squad.

So far, Mendes leads the team in six offensive categories: batting average (.426), hits (20), doubles (6), RBI (15), on-base percentage (.460) and slugging percentage (.596).

Steady Influence Behind The Plate
Junior catcher P.J. Fulmer has been a solid contributor for two years. She started 43 of the team’s 45 games last season behind the plate, lending leadership to a staff that had four members in their first year in the SEC. She’ll be relied upon once again to guide a young staff, as there will be two juniors and three sophomores throwing for the Gamecocks.

Fulmer also hopes to improve her game at the plate. She ranks second on the squad with 10 RBI, posting two doubles early as well.

Need Some Help in the Pinch
The shorter bench for the Gamecocks this season has shown up mostly in pinch-hitting situations. In seven plate appearances, South Carolina pinch hitters are 0-for-6 with two RBI. Audrey Broyles brought home a run with a bases-loaded walk, while Kaitlin Westfall also has a run batted in off the bench. Last season, Gamecock pinch hitters hit .179 with eight RBI.

Runs Coming in Bunches
This season, South Carolina has scored nine or more runs in four separate games. The last season this happened was in 2005, when the squad posted 15, 13, 12, 10 and nine runs in games during the year.

Bringing In The Palmetto State’s Best
The Gamecocks have been very active recruiting the best from their own state. The 2009 freshman class included Evan Childs and Kierstyn White, while the 2010 rookies include Briana Hamilton and Hannah Milks. The latter duo will get their chances around the infield, with Hamilton possibly getting time at all four positions and Milks concentrating on the left side.

Strength Always In The Circle
The Gamecock teams that have gone the farthest have always had strong pitching. While there’s only one addition to the pitching staff this year in April Borchardt, who is primarily an outfielder, there are reasons for hope. Returning sophomores Audrey Broyles and Kierstyn White both learned many lessons during their freshman season as they combined to throw 230 of the squad’s 312 innings. Rick Pauly has also joined the staff after a successful stint as head coach at Spartanburg Methodist College. A longtime pitching instructor at the high school level, Pauly hopes his methods translate to the top level of collegiate softball.

The Ace Is Here
There was chatter that the Gamecocks would be searching for an ace this season. But too many discounted the squad’s top pitcher from a year ago, as Audrey Broyles has undoubtedly reclaimed that role. The sophomore stands second in the SEC with a 0.43 ERA, while she’s tied for the team lead with three wins. Her 13/1 K/BB ratio and 39 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work are head and shoulders above her teammates. She’s tossed the only two shutouts and three of the five complete games. She struck out a season-high 11 in her last outing against Florida Atlantic, and she’s tossed consecutive one-hitters, the first time for a Gamecock pitcher to do that since Trinity Johnson did in the 1997 NCAA Regional.

The Fall’s Shining Star
Junior Ashley Chastain came in without a lot of fanfare last year, but she finished the spring with a bang. The winner in the season-ending contest against Kentucky, Chastain continued that momentum into the fall. She won all four games in which she pitched while tossing one complete game. She did not allow an earned run in 22 innings while tying for the team lead in strikeouts.

The spring has not been great so far for Chastain. While she’s tied for the team lead with three wins and tops the squad with two saves, she ranks third in ERA at 2.71 and has 11 strikeouts against 10 walks in 31.0 innings. She has also hit four batters and tossed three illegal pitches with runners on base.

Nice Double, Can You Do It Again?
Evan Childs did something last season that has only happened three other times in Gamecock history (since 1982). The Conway, S.C., native led South Carolina in both home runs and stolen bases, putting her name among legends like Dana Fulmer, Christie Dammer and Lindi James. She was also the first Gamecock to accomplish the feat during the Southeastern Conference era. What will she do for an encore? That is something everyone is waiting to see.

Childs stands second on the team in on-base (.422) and slugging percentage (.525) and ranks third on the squad in batting average (.350). Her five doubles also stand second, while her nine RBI tie for third.

Carolina in the Month of March Under Joyce Compton
In the Joyce Compton era, Carolina is 460-156 (.747) during the third month of the year.

The Glove Where Triples Goes to Die Came from This State, Too
South Carolina native Joe Jackson had a glove that was described as the place where triples go to die. This year’s Gamecock outfield could follow in the legacy of the great Jackson. Both senior Adele Voigt and sophomore Lauren Lackey have above-average speed that could help keep balls out of the gaps. And newcomer April Borchardt picked up three steals during the fall while covering a lot of ground when in the outfield. That trio was the opening-day starters, with Voigt shifting to center after claiming SEC All-Defensive honors in left in 2009, with Borchardt flanking her in left and Lackey in right.

The pitchers have allowed 18 doubles, but only one triple has been given up by the Gamecocks in 2010.

Last Remaining Vestiges
The year 2007 was a magical one for South Carolina softball. The squad won 38 games and advanced into the program’s first NCAA Super Regional. From that squad, only two players remain, and both played a significant role on that team. Adele Voigt and Lindsay Walker both played in every game that season, with Walker not missing a start at shortstop and Voigt starting all but one game in the outfield.

Lone Star Connection
The Gamecocks brought in three pitchers in the 2009 signing class, but little did they know the connection the trio had. Despite hailing from Florida, South Carolina and Texas, Audrey Broyles, Kelsey Goodwin and Kierstyn White were all born in the Lone Star State. The Florida native Broyles and Goodwin both came into the world in Houston, which is still listed as Goodwin’s hometown, while White was born and grew up for a time in San Antonio.

A Good Year For A Rebound
Just once before in program history has the squad not had a winning record in consecutive seasons. The results the next season, however, were great. After going 28-28-1 and 28-30 in the previous years, the 2007 team won 38 games, hosted a NCAA Regional and advanced into a NCAA Super Regional for the first time. The Gamecocks hope for the same thing this year, after finishing under .500 the previous two seasons.

A Return To Speed?
This fall, the Gamecocks took advantage of their speed, stealing 11 bases without being caught. That equals their 2008 total and just two shy of last year’s final tally.

Scouting the DePaul Blue Demons
DePaul rides a five-game winning streak into this weekend’s Easton Classic after capturing the Kickin’ Chicken Classic hosted by Coastal Carolina. Standing at 6-4 on the season, the Blue Demons have lost to LSU and North Carolina once and Texas twice. Senior Becca Heteniak leads the club in the circle, striking out 41 in 34.0 innings of work. She’s 3-3 with a 1.85 ERA, one shutout and five complete games. Junior Lindsey Dean has been stellar as well, going 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in 15 innings of work.

At the plate, Heteniak tops the squad with a .417 batting average and a .622 on-base percentage. The Blue Demons have hit nine home runs, two coming from slugging percentage leader sophomore Marla Mathews. DePaul has tried to steal 12 bases but has only been successful seven times.

Gamecocks All-Time vs. DePaul
In two meetings against the Blue Devils, the Gamecocks have yet to get a win. Both meetings happened at neutral sites, including a 3-2 loss in nine innings during the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. DePaul – May 17, 2001
In the opening round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament, the Gamecocks fell in nine innings to DePaul, 3-2, in Iowa City, Iowa.

After the Blue Demons got runs in the second and third on a sacrifice and a bases-loaded sac fly, South Carolina responded with Adrianna Baggetta’s two-RBI single. The junior also had the only extra-base hit for the Gamecocks, a leadoff double in the second. DePaul finally broke through again in the ninth, as Sarah Douglas blasted a one-out homer in the ninth to give the Blue Demons the final advantage.

Scouting the Michigan Wolverines
Ranked seventh in the country, Michigan enters Friday’s slate at 10-4, while the Wolverines are 2-2 against SEC foes on the young season. Jordan Taylor is the ace pitcher, going 7-1 with a 0.59 ERA. She’s struck out 91 batters in 59.0 innings of work, walking just 10. Nikki Nemitz stands at 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA, fanning 46 and walking just four in 35.1 innings.

Offensively, Maggie Viefhaus tops the squad with her .442 batting average and .538 on-base percentage. Dorian Shaw has seven home runs already, including two in the Wolverines’ win over Mississippi State on Wednesday night. Michigan has been adept at base stealing, swiping 12 in 15 attempts.

Gamecocks All-Time vs. Michigan
South Carolina is 7-8 all-time against Michigan, but the Wolverines have won the last two meetings. The last South Carolina win came on Feb. 28, 2004 in the NFCA Leadoff Classic, taking a 2-1 victory in eight innings.

The Last Time – South Carolina vs. Michigan – Feb. 9, 2008
No. 12 Michigan came from two runs down to score three in the top of the seventh to steal a 3-2 victory from South Carolina as the Gamecocks ended pool play in the 2008 Florida Atlantic Kick-Off Classic.

The Wolverines’ clean-up hitter Samantha Findlay got the rally started with a walk from a full count. Her sister, Angela, followed with a double off the left field wall, putting the tying run at second base. After senior Melissa Hendon struck out Dorian Shaw, Roya St. Clair hit a shot down to first base that junior Jacqueline Wetherbee could not handle. The ball ricocheted off Wetherbee’s foot far enough to allow both Findlay sisters to score to tie up the game. Pinch runner Megan Gregory promptly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Michigan pitcher Nikki Nemitz singled to shallow left center, keeping Gregory from scoring. Teddi Ewing came up and hit a ball to center field, where Lisa Longo made the catch and fired to the plate. Gregory beat the throw home to put the Wolverines on top.

Carolina threatened in the bottom half of the inning, as pinch hitter Cagney Davis reached first on an error. But Carolina could only move that runner to second, as a foul out and a ground out brought up Jessica Josker with the game on the line. The senior, who struck out twice earlier on pitches on the outside corner, this time struck out swinging to close the ball game.