April 4, 2004
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sophomore catcher Ashley Smith hit two two-run homers to lift No. 18 South Carolina over Kentucky 4-0 and helped USC claim its first conference series win in the Eastern division. The Gamecocks improve to 19-12 overall and 8-10 in the SEC. Stacey Johnson pitched her tenth complete game and her fourth shutout of the season as she allowed seven hits and struck out six.
McKenna Hughes scored two of the four runs and went 1-for-3 while Nancy Crane went 2-for-4. Meghan Cooper took the loss for Kentucky as she fell to 5-4.
In the first inning, Hughes became USC’s first base runner as she reached on an error by Kentucky shortstop Brooke Marnitz. Smith then put the Gamecocks on the board as she belted a home run to deep centerfield with two outs and gave South Carolina a 2-0 lead.
Smith added to the Gamecocks lead in the fifth as she recorded her second home run of the game, a two-run shot over the left centerfield fence. Hughes led off the inning with a single and was on base for the second time during the game and scored on a Smith home run. This marks the second time this season that Smith has hit two home runs in a game. Samantha Jennings is the only other Gamecock to hit two long balls in a game twice this season.
UK had a chance to get on the board in the seventh as they had runners at first and second with two outs but Rachel Frieberg grounded out to third and Samantha Jennings tagged the third base bag to put out base runner Ashley Fertic for the final out.
The Gamecocks return to action this Tuesday and Wednesday as they host the Georgia Bulldogs. Check uscsports.com for game times.
