April 28, 2004
COLUMBIA, S.C. –
McKenna Hughes went 3-for-4 with four runs and two RBI as the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated Coastal Carolina 10-2 in six innings in game one of a Wednesday doubleheader. Stacey Johnson pitched five innings and gave up two runs on two hits. Chrissy Schoonmaker also added to the freshman show as she went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI.
Johnson improved to 16-9 as the Gamecocks went to 26-20. Coastal Carolina’s starter Danyelle Gerdts took the loss and fell to 8-11 as Coastal went to 22-25.
Up 2-0, USC scored four more runs in the second inning including a three-run home by Schoonmaker to go up 6-0. Schoonmaker recorded her second career long ball as she blasted the pitch deep over the left centerfield fence with two outs on the board.
The Chanticleers broke up the perfect game in the fourth when Delane Oscarson drew a walk to lead off the inning. The no-hitter was also broken up in the fourth when Katey Allen singled to left field. Brittany Nelson hit a two out single to drive in Oscarson and Allen and put Coastal on the board and prevented the shutout.
USC added two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth as McKenna Hughes, who reached on a lead-off error, and Ashley Smith, who walked, both scored on a single by Samantha Jennings. Smith scored three runs for USC while Jennings drove in four of the Gamecocks’ 10 runs.
USC changed pitchers in the sixth inning and brought in Aleca Johnson from right field who recorded a 1-2-3 outing.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hughes doubled to lead-the inning and Smith singled to score Hughes. Smith advanced to second on a single by Schoonmaker and reached third on a fielder’s choice ground out by Amber Curtis. Up 9-2, Smith came home on a sacrifice fly by Jennings to give USC a 10-2 mercy rule win.
