The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 26, 1999, Page Page 7, Image 7
TRACK AND FIELD
Terrence Trammell won the
110-meter hurdles on the last
day of the Penn Relays on
Sunday. Brad Snyder also
won the shot put event
Friday.
Monday, April 26, 1999
Best and
wnrQt
T v vyi u l
headlines
Last
week, my
brother and
I were
hanging out
together
when young
he's known
h v his
friends) ofWilliam
Folks fere(Jme a
Common Folklore bit ?f u1180"
? licited commentary
regarding
my column.
"You know, Bill," he told me,
"your articles would be a lot better if
you quit talking about that girl tennis
player all the time."
Well you know, Slim, you're right.
I've actually heard that more than a
few times myself, to be perfectly honest.
However, as no Common Folklore
installment would be complete without
a token Leigh Eichelberger reference,
and as I found myself in dire need
of an intro for this week's piece (believe
me, it's no fun encountering writer's
block on the last column of your collegiate
career), I figured, why not?
Also, I thought maybe if I put her
name closer to the front this time, she
might actually see it and immediately
recognize from the handsome picture
above (yeah, right) that I am indeed
the proverbial "man of her dreams," a
witty and well-connected GQ-type whose
limitless creativity and boundless vision
will one day launch a sports publishing
empire that dominates the entire
globe.
You know, I'd even consider building
her a tennis arena in the backyard.
Ah, sweet dementia.
But, forsaking my megalomaniacal
delusions for just a moment, this has
been an extraordinarily difficult week
to write a column.
First, the Carolina community lost
one of its best and brightest minds last r~
week when Brian Ewing, managing director
of USC's award-winning MIBS
program, died of a sudden heart attack
at the program's annual banquet.
In addition to his leadership role in
MIBS, Ewing had been instrumental'
in planning the program's 25th anniversary
celebration and securing top
internships for its students. A kind,
principled, honest, Christian businessman
and devoted family man, his
loss is enormous, not just for the Darla
M/wno nf Rusinpcc hi it fnr f ho
university and the state of South
Carolina as a whole.
Adding to this loss were the tragic
high-school killings in Colorado, the
chopper crash in Kentucky that left
seven servicemen dead, and perhaps
most disturbing, the escalation of the
war in Kosovo, where it now appears
the insertion of ground troops into
the struggle is imminent.
All in all, it has been a pretty tough
week.
But, as I do have a job to do, and
because, in some convoluted sense, it's
the collective function of the sports
world to relieve the stress and strains
of our burdensome "real world," Common
Folklore is proud to unveil (as advertised)
its best and worst headlines
from the past two years of "reporting."
Best Headlines ? USC Sports
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a
tie. At the time, I couldn't decide
whether I was happier that Lou
Holtz had been hired or that Brad Scott
i i J n i.u? n
nau uccii liicu. v^eixaiiiiy uic umrnt- i
cock headline from last Nov. 30, "The i?
Search Is On," summed up both emotions
for me.
In that article, I put my journalistic
credibility (Yes, I do possess a modicum
of that) on the line when I wrote,
"Lou Holtz will be named South Carolina's
new head football coach, possibly
as soon as this week."
While the knuckleheads over at The
State feuded over their vacillating
sources, my secret insider (whom I
refer to fondly as "Holtz-throat") never
wavered.
Sure enough, Friday of that week
rolled around and Holtz was hired,
thou eh vou never would have known
it from reading The State, whose headline
that Friday morning read, "Holtz
says yes ? maybe." Memo to
numbskulls: Never run a 40-point header
that includes the word "maybe."
Maybe we should watch out for these
FOLKS page 8
Carolina 1
by Todd Money
Sports Copy Editor H
A lot fan hannpn in a wppIt
Just ask Carolina's Lady Gamecock
softball team, which just eight
days ago found itself in the throes of a
seven-game losing streak after being
blanked in perhaps its most crucial series
of the year.
Now, the proverbial tables have
turned. After sweeping division rival
Georgia (25-23, 9-11 in the SEC) in a
four-game set Friday and Saturday,
Joyce Compton's squad is back
where it wants to be ? at the top of
the division.
Not that the Lady Gamecocks (4316,14-10
SEC) weren't tested. All four
games were clinics in pitching, with
USC winning 1-0 and 3-1 Friday and
2-0 and 1-0. Saturday.
Game 1 featured starters Megan
Matthews for USC and Natalie Price ||
for the Bulldogs. Price was effective,
pitching six innings of six-hit ball and
allowing just one run.
Matthews was even better, though,
shutting out the Bulldogs and through
seven innings and not walking a batter,
while striking out 11.
Carolina's run came on an RBI double
by left fielder Joyce McMillin in the
second inning that plated catcher Adrienne
Genovese.
The second game was most notable
for Compton as she nailed her 600th
win as USC coach. Compton got her
800th career win earlier this season. US
Nikki Beers gave up one run on Ga
four hits through seven innings, while g^
striking out nine. ^
Megan Donahoo had an RBI single
in the second, and later scored on
an error by UGA catcher Sabrina Pimentel.
USC never looked back.
Matthews got her second start in an
Game 3 of the series. In a game that na
lasted just one hour and 13 minutes,
Matthews and Bulldog starter Price
went the distance again, but the jej
USC freshman had the support of her t ^
offense this time. .
In the fourth, McMillin lifted a triple
to score senior Kim Pietro, who had g
reached on a triple to center field. An '
insurance run for USC came in the
Florida chom]
L w
Peter Bauer throws a strike against Fl<
iost two of three to the Gators on the ra
1
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f"k, Jk I Georg
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impro
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BEERS Beers
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Sp
The G<
takes w<
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C right fielder Jamie Williams m
uinn kol rf^ma O 1 or%<
11iuvuur\a nruii uiai game air
lh, when Genovese doubled to right
ocking in Kendra McCutcheon.
Price (18-12) took the loss despit
owing only five hits over six innings
itthews notched her 23rd win on thi
ar, striking out six, walking non<
d giving up three hits in seven in
igs.
Game 4 would be the series' seconc
twrencher. The Bulldogs sent ou
t-hander Shana Coffelt to pitch, whil<
e Lady Gamecocks again coun
ed with Beers.
Coffelt gave up two singles in th<
st, but she soon settled down. Beer:
wed just as solid, and through 5 1
ps down o
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Sean Rayford Photo Editor
>rfda earlier this season. USC
ad this weekend.
,
Ki BEERS
rs, a senior softItcher,
allowed
ne run over 12 inIn
the team's
end sweep of
iia. She Ricked up
rins on the week,
ving her record to
The Lady Gamei
are 164 when
starts.
orts
amecock
iekend st
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lakes the last out Friday in Game 2 o
J swept the four-game series to return
2 innings, neither team managed
runner past second base,
e In the bottom of the sixth, howe\
i. er, things got interesting. After USC'
e McCutcheon lined out, second base
2 man Kim Schultze got aboard with he
second single.
Pietro followed with another sir
1 gle, bringing up McMillin. When a Coi
t felt pitch dove into the dirt and got pas
2 Pimentel, the runners advanced to see
ond and third with only one out.
To set up the force play, Georgi,
2 put McMillin on, loading the bases
5 Surprisingly, the Bulldogs then brough
- back Price, a right-hander, to pitch t
the left-handed hitting Genovese, wh
n USC, takes
Sports Roundup
The Gamecock
GAINESVILLE, Fla - After
winning the first game 16-15, in this
weekend's three game series, the
Gamecocks managed to drop their next
two, and end the week at an overall"
mark of 29-15, and at 12-9 in the SEC.
Kurt Keene singled home Mark Ellis
in the bottom of the ninth inning
to give Florida a 5-4 win over South
Carolina Sunday.
The Gators (27-18, 9-12 Southeastern
Conference) trailed 4-2 in the
ninth, but tied the game with David
Klebonis' ground out ?- which knocked
in Matt Siegel ? and Greg Catalanotte's
bases-loaded walk.
Keene, who had been hitless for
the day, then singled to right field off
a pitch from Jason Pomar to end the
game. The victory gave the Gators their
nrst bM; series win since the end ot
March. The Gamecocks (29-15,12-9)
led 3-0 after the first inning and 4-0
after Tim Angiolini's RBI single in the
fourth. Angiolini led South Carolina
with two hits and a pair of RBIs.
South Carolina starter Pete Bauer
took a one-hitter into the seventh, but
gave up back-to-back hits before giving
way to Pomar. Pomar (2-2) pitched
USC tennis te;
by Brock Vergakis
Sports Editor
(JSC's men's and women's tennis
teams were both ousted Saturday from
their respective bLC tournaments, with
each picking up just one win in semifinal
competition.
The No. 19 men lost to LSU in the
men's tournament in Gainesville, Fla.,
ending the first trip to the conference
semifinals for the men since joining the
SEC in 1992.
After reaching the semifinals in the
women's tournament in Baton Rouge,
La., the Lady Gamecocks fell to topseeded
and defending national champion
Florida.
For the men, Guillaume Legat was
the only Gamecock to win in singles
competition. He won handily, defeat
iries from
iiil m&P mm ,.ddi
. >
f Carolina's weekend series against SE
to the top of the division standings.
a suddenly had another chance tc
come up big.
r- This time, she wouldn't have to.
s A pitch from Price sailed away from
Pimentel and got all the way to the
r backstop.
Carolina's Schultze scored easily,
l- and when Matthews shut the door on
f- the Bulldogs in the seventh, USC had
it pulled out another gem.
:- "We just seem to get hits at the
right time to win," Schultze explained
a afterward.
>. "We needed a four-game sweep,"
t Compton said. "We came in and Niko
ki and Megan both threw real well
o all weekend.
two in weel
2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on
five hits and three walks. Florida reliever
Ben Grezlovski (8-5) picked up
his second win in as many days. He
tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
In Game 2 Greg Catalanotte blast~
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eu a uiree-ruu nume run ana oen urezlovski
shut down the Gamecocks lineup
to power Florida over No. 20 South
Carolina 8-4 Saturday night in the'second
game of the three-game series at
McKethan Stadium.
Florida (26-18,8-12) trailed 4-3 in
the bottom of the sixth inning when
Catalanotto came to the plate after
singles by Taylor Wood and Matt
Heath. Catalanotte hit his second
three-run homer in two days and his
15th of the season to put the Gators ,
up for good. Ben Grezlovski (7-5) picked
up the victory by pitching one-bit ball
over four relief innings. He came in
for starter Sergio Rodriguez with no
outs in the fifth, the bases loaded, and
Florida ahead 3-2.
Grezlovski got Nate Janowicz to
chop to Kurt Keene at third. Keene
stepped on third base to force one runner
and then fired home to retire another.
USC did not blow the opportunity,
though, as Adam Poe laced a double
to left to score two and put the
Gamecocks up 4-3. Rodriguez, mak
ams fall in SEC
ing LSU's Ed Rubin 6-0, 6-2. Jerome
Jourdon, Olof Akesson and Tomasz
Wawrzyniak all lost in singles matches
against the Tigers.
In doubles play, the team of LegatAkesson
was the lone victor for Carolina,
winning 8-4.
USC finishes up at 17-11 on the
year. The Gamecocks must now wait
on the NCAA to find out about post
pi ay.
Resrionals will be held May 15-17.
Should the Gamecocks win their regional,
they would advance to the finals
in Athens, Ga., May 22-30.
The women had just as difficult a
time with the Gators as the men did
with the Tigers. Leigh Eichelberger defeated
M.C. White of Florida, 3-6, 6-3,
6-4, in USC's lone victory.
Celine Regnier and Jennifer Radman
were tht only other Carolina play
FROM THE SIDELINES
Adversity causes some
men to break; others to
break records.
- William A. Ward
Page 7
l ueorgia
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Sean Rayford Photo Editor
:C East rival Georgia. The No. 16 Lady
i "In [Game 4], we really didn't hit
the ball all that well," Compton said.
"But we did put a couple together
i when it counted and took advantage
! of a mistake."
The No. 16 Gamecocks now are percentage
points ahead of Tennessee (97
SEC) in the East, and look to at least
maintain their No. 3 spot in the NCAA's
South Region, whose rankings come
out again this week.
'We still have to get some help down
the road, and we still have to play four
more good games," Compton said.
"But we're somewhat in the driver's
seat, I think, right now."
cend series
ing his first start of the season, pitched
well allowing only a solo home run to
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aji yuli ocuukii cunu a in dirjuuuuiiig aiugle
until the fifth. USC starter Kip
Bouknight (6-3) struck out 10 Gators
but allowed seven runs and hits to
earn the loss.
Florida scored their first three
runs in the third to take an early 3-1
lead. Catalanotte doubled and
scored on a passed ball. Mike Floyd
singled home Keene, and Peter Nystrom
scored the final run of the inning
on a Bouknight wild pitch.
UF added two insurance runs in
the bottom of the eighth, capitalizing
on two USC errors. With two outs and
two on, Keene chopped to USC pitcher
Jamie Poston.
Poston threw wild to first allowing
Heath to score. Right fielder Poe, who
was backing up the play, then threw
wild to the plate allowing Catalanotte
to score the game's final run.
In the first game, Tim Angiolini
went 3-for-5 with two home runs and
seven RBIs as South Carolina edged
Florida 15-14 in a Southeastern
Conference game Friday night
Angiolini hit a three-run homer in
the first inning and added a grand
slam ? his 10th home run of the
season ? in the uamecocks six-run
fourth.
) tournaments
ers to force a third set with the Gators.
Doubles matches were not played.
"They [Florida] played well, and I
thought we played well," USC coach
Arlo Elkins said.
"I think we really closed the gap on
them from the first time we played
them. If things would have worked well,
we could have been 3-all or even up 42
going into doubles."
The Lady Gamecocks finish their
season with a record of 16-7 (7-6 in SEC
play).
With the victory, Florida is guaranteed
no less than a tie for an SEC
championship.
The Lady Gamecocks will find out
from the NCAA on May 5, when the re
gional matchups are set, on whether
they have made postseason play.