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P BJ and Nate give their year-er awards. ^ Shawn Singleton strikes one k ^ BJ survived an interview with wrestling's Bill Goldberg and ha file for you. Friday, April 24,1998 Carol it sports editor BRYAH JOHNSTON It appears the Lady Gamecock softball team is peaking at the right time. After struggling throughout the year with hitting, pitching, injuries and much more, Carolina has won five games in a row after sweeping Winthrop Wednesday night at Beckham Field. USC remained focused through a 45-minute rain delay to defeat the Lady Eagles 4-1 in the first game and 102 in five innings in the nightcap. The Lady Gamecock bats came alive against Winthrop, pounding out 17 hits w ?WK Senior Sky Brown fires the ball to ^ 1 victory over Winthrop Wednesd T-O ioba V laivv a sna - d ;l ;? m // ?Jjfs * S * '-'v TV??80 ?s" VJ^pa a ? " " " , :_; Tuesday, April 2 Wednesday, Api Thursday, April Fc Ui A 8:00 Russell Sponsored by: The 1 Student Governi L i td ist time, s a pro no n-nrlc na viiuo in the two games. Carolina was led at the plate by junior Kim Pietro and sophomore Kim Schultze. "I thought with the rain delay and everything, we stayed focused and stayed in it," USC coach Joyce Compton said. "We came out and in both games, we swung the bats really well. In the first game, we didn't have a lot of runs to show, but I thought we took some cuts in there and made some things happen." Schultze said she was very happy for seniors Carrie Elliott-Hoshour, Karri Peters and Sky Brown. jm mm m ^ ^ M * f f B 1.; TMlBw i Z V ^ ^Kb ^?SP . * JMmEWWwPwiB.^.. _ i~ '': : r ^ v./ ^ SEAN RAYFORD The Gamecock ' first base in the Lady Gamecock's 4 ay night. >Y ST/ . place to stu< a break, anc ick during F %*' - ' Si \ i - ? ft / " :&?. m V , j\s ^ !8th Free Pizza ( ril 29th Free ChickChicken Bis 30th Free Pizza ( *while V N t v t E >od compliments of SCX liversity Bookstore Cfi J BOOK: RITSSFTT Am v/ vy vy AJ JU JJI HOUSE UNIVERSITY UNION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ipril 28,29,3 PM -12 Mid House Lobby USC Bookstore Russell nent USC Vending Mi f Spc The Gan i home We telt really confident out there and I think we came out ready to play, because it was our last home game and it meant a lot to our seniors," Schultze said. "We just wanted to kick some butt, so we did." In the first game, USC jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning and added one more in the fifth to down the Lady Eagles, 4-1. In the third, Schultze singled with one out and moved to second on ElliottHoshour's sac bunt. With two out, redshirt sophomore Jamie Williams tripled down the rightfield line to score Schultze. Peters walked and both scored on Pietro's team-leading 13th double of the season to give USC a 3-0 lead. Carolina's fourth and final run came in the fifth inning when sophomore Sondra Hall walked, moved to third on an error by Winthrop's rightfielder on freshman Joyce McMillin's fly ball and then scored on Schultze's double. Winthrop picked up its lone run in the seventh inning, but was held scoreless the rest of the way by Brown. Pitching in the last home game of her career, Brown pitched the complete-game victory to improve her record to 20-8 on the season. The Montgomery, Ala., native gave up six hits while striking out four. Pietro (2-for-4), Schultze (2-for-3) and freshman Megan Donohoo (2-for4) all collected two hits for the Lady Gamecocks. On the defensive side, Schultze was just as brilliant, demonstrating her second base skills on a particular play in civfVi innincf Winflirnn'a Pnno Wiiv U1AVU 1X11X1A A If & XVV/X1U Nichols hit a ground ball to Schultze's right, a ball that appeared to be heading into centerfield. But, with a diving, hill-extension effort, Schultze snagged the ball and fired to first base while seated on the dirt to rob Nichols of a base hit. It's a play Schultze said she does all the time. "I do it all the time in practice," Schultze said. "It's just a matter of whether the ball comes that way in a game or not. It's just a practice play." In the second game, Carolina gave up two runs in the top of the first but iy, I grab y inals. t .V 10:00 PM)* fil-a ;cu its (10:00 PM)* 10:00 PM)* supplies last f I T T 2_f JTH )UNA STORE 1 r 10 night 2nd floor House University Union irriott Food Services , Basketball For the third-straight year, USC guard Melvin Watson received the Frank McGuire Most Valuable Player award, presented Wednesday evening at the 1997-98 Gamecock Basketball Banquet at Williams-Brice * Stadium. The banquet, which included Carolina alumnus and Hall of Famer Alex English as the featured speaker, capped off the fifth season for Head Coach Eddie Fogler at Carolina as the Gamecocks finished 23-8 and advanced to the post season for the thirdconsecutive season. Other players receiving awards for the 1997-98 were: Antonio Grant ? Most Improved Player, Melvin Youwi BV As a stude yoi Carolii As a mem Ta fiw/l A t AW AAAIU UUi Takea< We also offer a Surdhar] Se with CARPI 710 Pulai fBotfK NoVH t Summer $ coming: [ Don't forget to | order your I Euraitpass r. < I t AJxstr? hJlc* A*oi?(i. t f am m >*? columbia, sc am i acm ml. i amd m a i! uknau am 00 b0? imulm 'uo mm km _ (am tofai mtwia tl amo mo. mhmk oa tmi ocvbutja |?f\ sfumat j ID >a? m tfoutn* F?m am ?md hja maamtv?i m tn uun am mi voajfcr ro (mamm bijtaknow *mt gau >oa oua in bomstk (amis amo > y BBBBffnrrovg/ C1EE: Cornell oa laicraalnaal UtKitnaal Excluage il-800-2,-COUNCIL a? ">* ">rr?" Nate softb; recori Pomp hit se one s le with With hits in each game, Pietpo extended her school-record hitting streak OQ ?? LU LiO gailICS. "I don't consider [the streak] pressure at all," Pietro said. "I'm just trying to go out there, do my job and play the game. I think that's what's kind of made it so easy, just going out there to play. I don't fealty consider it a lot or think about it a lot." Pietro is also within one homerun of tying the single-season school homerun record of eight, set by Tricia Popowski in 1991. Pietro's seven homeruns are the most by a Lady Gamecock since 1982. Also strong at the plate was Schultze, going a collective 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and two runs scored. "I was seeing the ball realty well tonight and everyone was, too," Schultze said. The Lady Gamecocks travel to Alabama this weekend for four games. Pavicevic Watson ? Outstanding Defensive s< Player, Bj Mckie ? Outstanding Of- E fensive Player, Ryan Stack ? Out- f, standing Rebounder, Hagen Rouse c< ? Mr. Inspirational, George Formanek ? Buck Freeman Sports- j manship Award, David Ross ? Aca- a demic Award, and John Combs and ^ Jeff DeBattisto ? Shad Hamilton ^ Outstanding Manager Award. Gamecock play-by-play announcer ^ Charlie McAlexander was the master of ceremonies for the event.. ^ Men's Tennis Vladimir Pavicevic, who is cur- ^ rently ranked No. 24 in the nation, s< was placed on the All-SEC first team t] and was named rookie of the year in w Region II by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. b Jerome Jourdon and Guillaume J Legat were named to the All-SEC ft L.HI m *' . '& 11 find many optic it few opportunities :nt of the University of South C i are eligible for membership in la Collegiate Federal Credit Uni ber, you are offered many adva more, give us a call or visit oui dvantage of the best opportunit ?e-FreeATM at the Humanities Building jbi rving the University Community Full-Service Financial Advantagi _.E3 am |*j lulltl Federal Credf >ki Street Columbia, South Carolina . (803)251-8474 1-800-476-5861 ^TTt*] i il r iIiViv!Tm ill iii xbsssns^r ynnHTny )RTS necock schedu] retaliated with eight runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning en route to the 10-2 victory over Winthrop in five innings. Pietro led off the inning with her seventh homerun of the year, a pitch that was "right there." "I'm seeing the ball real well and I'm pretty confident in the box," Pietro said. "I'm not trying to hit home rims or anything like that, Fm just trying to be consistent up therfe swinging at good pitches." Pietro, Hall, McMillin, Troesh and Schultze each recorded hits in the opening inning. Troesh's double was the big blow, scoring Brown and Hall. The Lady Gamecocks scored a run in both the second and fourth innings to end the game early due to the mercy rule. McMillin went the distance, improving her record to 9-7. The Melbourne, Fla., native gave up two runs on four hits while striking out three. Watson, gamecock BRIEFS says junior Kim Pietro of the ill team is currently on a school d 23-game hitting streak. The >ton Plains, N.J., native also has ven homeruns this season, just hy of the Carolina record. Page 7 sweep They will face the Crimson Tide Saturday and Auburn Sunday. Carolina now stands at 32-18 overall, 12-10 in the SEC and need four victories to remain third in the conference heading into the SEC Tournament. Currently, the Lady Gamecocks are second in the Eastern Division and third overall. "They're big games," Pietro said. "Alabama and Auburn both are going to be looking to get us. I think overall, the team has had some confidence-building games the last week or so. I think we look pretty good and we'll be ready to go." The Lady Gamecocks have had to overcome a lot of adversity in getting this far in the season, but Schultze said she and the rest of her teammates feel good about what's ahead. "I feel good," Schultze said. "I think we're starting to finally get over all the obstacles we've faced and we're gonna doit." I I I honored econdteam. And Head Coach Kent )eMars and his assistant, Jeff Kealos, were honored as region oaches of the year. ? The overall team (18-7) is ranked 4th in the nation and is awaiting an Imost guaranteed bid to the 1CAA playoffs. Carolina will be a, kely No. 1 seed at the regional which ill be held in Richmond, Va., May 5. ootball Former USC defensive end Selvesi Miller and tight end Jason Lawan have signed free-agent NFL con*acts and will be in mini-camps this weekend. Lawson will be placed at the fullack position by the Jacksonville aguars. Miller signed with the liami Dolphins. HIS... arolina, ion. ntages. * offices. iesl your convenience! ?s. HATE r Union 29211 TURNIPSEED &ASSOO^[TES " Serving Injured * 4 Victims of Accidents: , A /* Auto j n * m t*. AA AA COLUMBIA 8U>Z5Z-VUUU 1-800-833-HURT (4878) M