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r, GAMECOCK ATHLETICS Softball vs. Tennessee A Sat., 1 p.m.; Sun., 1 p.m. Lady Gamecock Field W Baseball @ LSU Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 5 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. ^ Box Stadium W go f^ojnni Hi. Track star and, Marvin Watts is track with fast classroom with Stor I J Nathan Brown, Whenever you hear Jamaica and sports in the same sentence, your mind probably conjures up images of the Jamaican bobsled team, led by John Candy, in the movie Cool Runnings. However, there is a runner here from ) St. Catherine, Jamaica, on the track and field team. His name is Marvin Watts. Watts, born in Kingston, began running at an early age. "I started when I was about eight or nine, just for the fun of it as akicL Then I stopped [running] when I was about 12, but my parents pushed me to get back in it when I was about 13 and \ pushed me to go to the track meets. And this is where I am now," Watts said in his familiar Jamaican accent. In his high school career, Watts became the Jamaican high school 800 meters champion. His other accomplishments include winning the 4X800-meter relay at the Perm Relays from 1992-94, taking first at the Mutual Life Games, and placing second overall ^ at the Penn Relays in 1994 after becoming a division winner. He was voted Sportsman of High School Sports Day. Watts said his most memorable moment also occurred during this time period at The Boy's Championships in Jamaica in 1994, when he won the 800 meters. After graduating from high school and establishing himself as a talented runner, Watts began his search for the right college. \ He considered Michigan State, Indiana University, George Mason, and Youngs town University. Watts said several factors helped him make the decision to come to USC. i "I like the location and the weather. It isnt too cold; closer to Jamaican weather," i he said. 1 The change from his home to : Columbia was fairly difficult for Watts, i "[It was hard] having no friends. At ] ( first. I was very lonely and homesick," 1 Watts said. 1 In his freshman year, Watts finished 1 seventh at the SEC Outdoor Championships, fourth in the preliminary ] round of the 800 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships, and fourth at j Lady Gamecock so BRYAN JOHNSTON Sports Editor Inth The preliminary work is done and *n an all that remains are two wins Amencs Saturday for the NCAA Division I John record for the longest winning-streak ever in the nation. hitter. ? After defeating Georgia Tech twice striking Thursday, 3-0 and 10-2, the Lady USC Gamecocks' winning-streak stands and got c at 36, one shy of tying the record. Pietro, s fe V t SPORTS 0 SP A L f rx3*>; 9T v\\2> Jamaica native burning up the times and the ! good grades. r by Senior Writer the Spec Towns Relays in the 800 meters. As a sophomore, Watts captured first in the 800 meters at the Gamecock Invitational, first in the 800 meters at the Wildcat Classic, second in the 800 meters at the Gatorade Invitational and second in the 800 meters at the SEC Outdoor Championships. He also placed second in the 800 meters at the LSU Invitational, second in the 800 meters at the ACC vs. SEC rVlflUpnOP fni 1 r+Vl in fVlQ RfW~l mo^ara of the SEC Championships, and fifth in the 800 meters at the Sea Ray Relays, setting his then personal-best time of 1:48.59. His outstanding performances qualified him for the NCAA Championships in the 800 meters. So far this year, the captain of the team won the 800 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships, broke the schoolrecord in the 800 meters at the Fast Times Relay and finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor National Championships. With the indoor part of the season over, he is now focusing on the outdoors, which run through June. When asked about his expectations for the rest of the year, Watts said, "I want to make the NCAA Outdoors and come in higher than fifth." Commenting on his goals beyond this year, Watts said, "Next year, I want to try and probably be victorious indoors and outdoors." Watts is also optimistic about his chance of making it to the Olympics, savins. "Last vear. I came in fifth at thp Jamaican trials. So, I feel I can make it in the the future." Watts' success comes as no surprise to Ralph Spry, the USC Middle Distance coach. "Marvin Watts is a phenomenal athlete. He is very enjoyable to work with; he's a hard worker. His success is really no surprise because he comes out and is very consistent and does what tie is asked to do. He gives a good effort; tie's a classic example of a person who works hard, has the ability, and things tiappen for him," Spry said. Spry also speaks highly of Watts' potential. "I think potentially that Marvin is iust about as good as anyone in the ftball sweeps Gee ie first game, GT could not Sky Brown answer for two-time All- Senior C m Trinity Johnson. in the gam< son improved her record to Carolina h the complete game three- sixth and s< >he gave up 0 walks while the victory, out 13. In the se (38-2) pounded out 10 hits homeruns, loubles from sophomore Kim Elliott's thn enior Tina Plew and junior in five innii N MONDAY See If Softball Could Bre; on ^ uyHFj , J& mM;iMm .:'";? ?* ^ |L V? BpP?Sil*f^W| ?r "%" ' ' ? jt - Jamaica native Marvin Watts, shown here a Championships, broke the school record in th country. He is getting better everyday. He's been ready physically, but now he's getting a little more confidence with each race, and it shows when he competes. As we get toward the championships, he is going to start maximizing. I think he could really go this year," Spry said. Watts' success on the track has also carried to the classroom. Upon graduating from high school, Watts was ranked second in his class. Watts said it was not hard to balance academics and his rigorous track schedule. He is currently a junior in the College of >rgia Tech, goes for Freshmen Sandra I 2handa Lee stole a base Troesh also homered e. Gamecocks, scored a run in the third, Pietro and Hall ea *venth innings to assure the game. Brown (W 10-0) p oond game, USC hit three win despite giving up cappjed by junior Carrie Carolina was pla ee-run shot in a 10-2 win errors, ags. The Lady Gamecod ak The Record ITS % <"**>. 'I? win nil mrnmmmmmamm i^^??_ I I r w'Mr " ^MVMB |l Jg& r ' :. - - . - - ^ I Special to The Gamecock it last year's SEC Outdoor Track and Held e 800 meters earlier this year. Business Administration. 1 Hke my classes as a Business Administration major; it is very organized," Watts said. Watts said when he isn't setting the track on fire or isn't preparing for his future business endeavors, "There's not much to do around here, so I play pool, ping-pong and go to the movies. And that sort of stuff." Watts will be in action again this weekend e lir? m j. i :j? at uic uiciiiisuu n-yytxy. a lit? ucal uppurtumty lu see him competing in Columbia will be at thp Gamecock Invitational on April 19. national record Satu lall and Leana three runs in the fourth and four: 1 for the Lady the fifth inning to get an early jun on the bus ride home, ch doubled in The near-history record of 3 straight, set by Princeton in 199 >icked up the will fall in the second game Saturtb six hits. against Tennessee if all goes accordii gued by four to plan. USC takes to the field for the fir ts (38-2) scored game at 1 p.m. and the possib DID YOU KNOW-. The last time the Lady Gamecock Softball team lost was Feb. 21, 1997, a 1-0 loss to No. 3 UCLA. Since that loss, Carolina has won 36 games in-a-row. Baseball llAfAflffi Clemson BRYAN JOHNSTON Sports Editor Head baseball coach Ray Tanner sure does like playing at Tiger Field in Clemson. The last time he took a team there was April 27,1996, when his North Carolina State squad defeated Clemson, 4-1. Since then, the Tigers have won 25-straight games at home, until another Tanner-coached team defeated them on their home turf Wednesday. South Carolina went into Tiger country and came out a winner, 11-3, before a crowd of 4,781 Wednesday night. The last couple of times I've been here, I've had good results," Tanner said. The USC (22-10) victory breaks their seven-game skid against the Tigers, including all four games last season, and puts them back on track after a rough weekend. Last weekend, USC pitching was obsolete, losing two of three games to Arkansas, including a 30-7 setback Sunday. "After the shellacking we took, we really needed to p\?t things into perspective and we did," Tanner said. "We've had some adversity and for us to come back like we did is real nice." But Wednesday was a different story as the Carolina bats re-awoke and the pitching staff held a potentially potent Clemson offense. The Tigers i jumped out to a 20 lead in the first \m0/ inning on Jason jte Emblehs two-run homerun. STANTON n . . , But the Gamecocks battled back to score three runs in the tops of the second and third innings to take the lead, 6-2. The second inning was highlighted by Eric Stanton's ground-rule double. South Carolina got three more runs in the third off Derrick Urquharfs RBI triple and Adam Poe's run-scoring single. Stanton and Rob Streicher each finished 3-for-5 on the day. "It's a nervewracking situation," Stanton said of jte playing their in- R state rival. This is a really good win lTRniH4RT for us." LRQUHART Clemson loaded the base four times but could only push one run across the plate as they left a season-high 15 runners on base. The game marked the first of fourconsecutive Wednesday games against Clemson. Jake Whitfield (4-3) picked up the win in relief as he went 2 2/3 innings, giving up 0 runs and three hits. The April 9 and April 23 games are at Sarge Frye Field with the April 16 game being played at Clemson. All games are at 7 p.m. Up next for the Gamecocks is a three-game series at No. 1 LSU this weekend. Friday's game is set for 8 p.m. Saturday's game starts at 5 p.m. and Sunday's game starts at 2 p.m. The games will be called by Steve Stewart and can be heard on on the radio onAM-560. rday against UT in history-making game will start 20 lp minutes after game one. A lot v ill be going on for USC 7- Saturday. 6, Head coach Joyce Compton could iy pick up her 500th victory at Carolina ig (she has 498 right now) and Johnson could break the school strikeout st le SOFTBALLpage 8