March 12, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – The Gamecock softball team continues SEC play as they travel to Baton Rouge this weekend for a three-game series against the No. 4/5 LSU Tigers. The No. 15/16 Gamecocks are 13-3 and 2-1 in SEC play. LSU is 23-4 overall and 4-1 in the conference. A Saturday doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. (EST) and the series finale will be Sunday, also at 1 p.m. (EST). All games can be heard live on internet broadcast at uscsports.com.

South Carolina is coming off of a 2-1 weekend against Mississippi State last weekend. The Tigers are coming off of a 1-1 series with Tennessee.

In the series, which only dates back to 1997, LSU leads 11-10 and last year, USC split 1-1. The Gamecocks also faced the Tigers at the SEC Tournament but fell short as LSU won 5-1. The last time USC has won a series against the Tigers was 1997.

LSU leads the SEC in batting average (.351) while the Gamecocks are listed among the top three on the pitching list (1.05 ERA). The Tigers also lead the conference in home runs with 30 but USC follows with 20. USC has allowed the third least amount of runs so far this season while LSU is ninth in that category. USC’s Stacey Johnson and Aleca Johnson are both among the top ten in ERA in the conference.

This season, USC is 6-1 on the road and 3-2 at neutral sites. In one-run games, the Gamecocks are 3-2 and in two-run games they are 3-0. In extra-innings, USC is 1-2.