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10 GAME SCHEDULE MEN’S TENNIS at Georgia Tech, 1 p.m. Wednesday SOFTBALL vs. Tennessee, 4 p.m. Wednesday G ONTACT U S , 7 pm-Wednesday MEN S TENNIS vs. Georgia, 2 p.m. Friday Story ideas? Questions? Comments? WOMEN’S TENNIS at. Georgia, 2 p.m. Friday E-mail us at gamecocksports@hotmail.com USC, Tigers set to clash No. 20 Clemson at South Carolina 7 p.m. Wednesday Sarge Frye Reid BY MATT ROTHENBERG THE GAMECOCK Just when things are finally startin g to look up again for the Gamec ock baseball team, another important game looks it straight in the face. Fresh off a sweep against the Vanderbilt Commodores, Carolina (19-9,4-5 SEC) will try to gain the upper hand in its four-game season se ries against hated rival .Clemson. Tonight’s game is a prelude to a three-game series against LSU, which will be critical to USC’s chances of making the SEC Tournament. But USC head coach Ray Tanner looks first to Clemson before assessing the rest of the season. . “Regardless if you’re unblem ished at this point, you’re going to have to win this game. No doub t about it, we are; that’s the attitude we’re going to take,” Tanner said. “Now, we won 19 games in the first half. If we win 19 games in the second half, we’re 38-18. You’re in, no doubt about it. We certainly have to play in the siecond half; it’s a tough sched ule.” The Gamecocks and the Tigers (19-G, 1-2 ACC) met for the first two games of their series about a month ago, with USC on the los ing end of an 8-0 decision in Clemson. Carolina starting pitch er Matt Campbell lasted only 3 2/3 innings before getting the hook. USC could manage only four base hits in the game. The next day, at Sarge Frye Field, was all for the Gamecocks, as they rode the arm of Aaron Rawl to a 6-4 win over the Tigers. Tanner thinks this game will mean a great deal to his team, as any other game against Clemson might. “I don’t think it could be more important than it is,” Tanner said. “They’re always big. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in conference play or anything like that. This is Clemson, the rival; it’s huge, and that’s the way it should be.” For Carolina, Brian Buscher remains the top hitter on the team; he leads the team in batting with a .409 average. Buscher had his 14-game hitting streak snapped in Friday’s 2-0 win over Vanderbilt, but he has started that run again, earning base hits in the other two victories against the Commodores. The Gamecocks have a variety of other hitters who are capable of sparking rallies, including Jon Coutlangus, whose grand slam in the 10th inning defeated Vanderbilt on Saturday, and Landon Powell, who appears to have completely emerged from an early-season slump. Campbell, also known as “Soup” to his Carolina team mates, will receive the start tonight. Despite having struggled in the first game at Clemson, he is ready to take the mound once again. Campbell has a 1-1 record in six starts, with a 5.52 ERA. FILE PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK Jon Coutfangus, right, scored the game-winning run in USC’s 6-4 win when Clemson was in town last month. Tonight, Carolina will try to beat the Tigers for the second time this season. “I’m up to the challenge,” Campbell said. “I didn’t have as well an outing as I would have liked to have the last time, but I’m going|to step it up a notch this time and get the job done. “I was kind of hoping to get the ball. They put me in the bullpen against Tennessee, but I’m just looking to go out there and get the job done.” In choosing his starting pitch er, Tanner, it was important to get someone who could deliver when called upon, and this time, it’s Campbell. “I look at the Clemson game where you have four conference games in the week. You just try to come up with four good guys to start,” Tanner said. “Matt Campbell has been a weekend starter for us and he hadn’t pitched very well, but he happens to be pitching tomorrow.” Clemson comes into tonight’s game having played Western Carolina last night. The Tigers managed to ^alvage one of the three games in their conference play opening series against North Carolina State. Clemson’s lineup features a variety of explosive hitters, in cluding Russell Triplett, who hails from West Columbia. In 92 at-bats, Triplett is batting .391 with a team-leading 36 hits. Infielder Brad McCann is prov ing to be one of Clemson’s most reliable power hitters, leading the team with 12 doubles while having three home runs and a .337 batting average. Tyler Lumsden is the Tigers’ best starting pitcher, and he shut the Gamecocks down a month ago in Clemson. The sophomore from Roanoke, Va., has a 5-0 record and 1.55 ERA this season, tops among Clemson’s starters. First pitch tonight between the Gamecocks and Tigers at Sarge Frye Field will be at 7. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com Carolina, Vols split a doubleheader BY BRAD SENKIW THE GAMECOCK The 15th-ranked USC softball team (25-9,9-4 SEC) experienced both' sides of the spectrum Tuesday when it faced the Tennessee Lady Volunteers (32 13, 5-6) in a doubleheader. Carolina took the first game 9-1 but was shut out and hitless in a 2:-0 loss in the second game. (Game 1: USC 9 - Tennessee 1 The Gamecocks used an early •offensive start and strong pitch ing from ace Stacey Johnson (12 4) to knock off the Lady Vols 9-1. Johnson pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits and one run — and that came in the fifth inning, when the game was out of reach. Amber Curtis and Debralee Troesh both went 2-for-3 with two RBIs apiece, and Ashley Smith chipped in a pair of RBIs. Carolina started the bottom half of the first inning with a leadoff single by Curtis and an other by Jodi Fittro that led to Troesh’s bringing Curtis home with a single. Danielle Quinones then hit a double that scored both Fittro and Troesh. Carolina added six more runs in the fourth inning to make a comeback very difficult for * Tennessee. Curtis picked up both of her RBIs when she knocked a bases-loaded double off the right centerfield wall with one out, scor ing Smith and Nancy Crane. Kim Evans was picked off on the play, but Fittro brought Cutis home the next at-bat. Troesh doubled to score Fittro, and Smith, who batted for the second time in the inning, sin gled to bring Troesh and Quinones home. Kristin Hall grounded out with the bases loaded, ending the inning with the Gamecocks up 9-0. The Lady Vols scored their only run when Kristi Durant hit an RBI single with two runners on base. Johnson then retired three straight batters to end Tennessee’s seven-game winning streak. It was the largest deficit of the year for Tennessee and the seventh consecutive win for USC over the Lady Vols. Game 2: Tenn. 2 - USCO Stephanie Humphrey (12 2) silenced the Gamecock hit ters, pitching an eight-inning no-hitter in Tennessee’s 2-0 victory. Humphrey went all eight innings and al lowed only one walk. She had four strikeouts through 25 bat ters faced. “Humphrey stuck with it and threw a good game against us,” PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK SEC Pitcher of the Week Stacey Johnson pitched the Gamecocks to a 9-1 victory in the first game of their doubleheader on Tuesday. USC head coach Joyce Compton said. “Whatever she was doing was definitely working.” Aleca Johnson (2-3) recorded the loss in relief for Carolina as both sides went seven innings without a run scored. The Lady Vols came up big in the top of the eighth inning, when Johnson gave up a double to Durant that led to pinch-run ner Kim Anders’ scoring on a Lauren Mattox double. Stacey Jennings then hit the next pitch to left field to score Amber Rhinehart. The Gamecocks’ only base run ner came in the fourth inning when Curtis drew a walk and Fittro laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Curtis to second base. After a wild pitch that put Curtis on thjrd base with two outs, Quincfnes grounded out to third to end the inning. Melanie Henkes started the game going five innings and al lowing seven hits. Johnson gave up the two game-winning runs on four hits. “I don’t think we were selective early on,” Compton said. “I think that kind of set the tone for the game. "Sometimes the pitcher has the upper hand, and she had the upper hand on us this game. I thought there were some pretty nice pitches to hit, and we’re not swinging at them,” Compton said. Carolina finishes the three game series with the Lady Vols to day. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Commenfson this story? E-mail gamecocksports@hotmail.com Spring drills continue for USC football BY NICK YOUNG THE GAMECOCK Nearly half a year is left un til the opening kickoff of Carolina’s 2003 football season, but football is already in the air. USC is in the midst of its annual spring practices and just recently had a scrimmage before having Monday and Tuesday off. Before spring practice even began, the Gamecocks were saddled with two key losses. Wide receiver/defensive back Matthew Thomas was sus pended from the football team for a violation of team rules. Thomas was charged with simple assault as a result of an on-campus incident Feb. 20. The other player lost was running back Thez Robinson. He was dismissed for a viola tion of team policy. He is still enrolled in school, but it is not yet known whether he will be able to return to the football team. me learn nas live new ju nior-college transfers that signed a national letter of in tent with Carolina and en rolled for the spring 2003 semester. Mike Rathe, Darrell Shropshire, Marcus Lawrence, Fred Bennett and D’Von Hill are the five new faces. Shropshire, Lawrence and Bennett are currently listed in the starting lineup or second string. One of the Gamecocks’ main focuses this off-season is to add offensive stability to a unit that struggled during 2002. “Finding a running back and wide receivers is critical,” USC head coach Lou Holtz said. “We are moving Taqiy Muhammad to wide receiver, and Troy Williamson gives us big-play possibilities there. We are looking at Aryhel Freeman and Andrea Gause at receiver also. “On the offensive line, Travelle Wharto’n had a tremendous off-season pro gram. He is a great captain. He will graduate on time and has been working very hard. At tight end, Hart Turner and Andy Boyd have come on.” The coaching staff is also looking to improve the defense in many areas. Expectations are especially high for the new defensive players; they are coming into a unit that will re place five departed starters. Holtz said he wants his team to work on “improving our pass rush, our third down de fense, our coverage and our run defense.” “Last year, we could not stop the run when we needed to. Ricardo Hurley and Lance Laury have had great winter sessions, both academically and with workouts. Darrell Shropshire has been a pleasant surprise this off-season. As safety, Rodriques Wilson had a great winter in an areas ana has spent considerable time studying film,” Holtz said. The last unit the team is looking to improve is the spe cial teams. The only bright spots last year were punter Tyeler Dean and kickoff spe cialist Joey Bowers. “We must find good return men who can handle the ball and get yardage. Finding a punter will be critical also,” Holtz said. “We are still look ing at candidates for that posi tion. We need to gain more con sistency with field-goal at tempts, as well.” On Saturday, the team par ticipated in the spring’s first scrimmage. All three units looked impressive, and the ar eas that were being worked on showed significant improve ment. The offense did not commit a single turnover, and Dondrial Pinkins had one of his best showings by throwing for more than 125 yards, iri* ♦ FOOTBALL, SEE PAGE 11 Which one is the actual fantasy? MATT ROTHENBERG GAMECOCKSPORTS@HOTMAIL.COM My team, Braves are both alike and different. With the 2003 baseball season under way, Americans around the world have the opportunity to take their minds away from the reality of war in the Middle East and into the great national pas time. A sizable portion of those Americans will gather all their abilities and spare time into a “sport” known as fantasy base ball. I’ve got my team set up al ready. But seeing the team I created in an online draft with nine other guys leads me to think it sort of resembles a decent major-league team, namely the Atlanta Braves. Of course, there are differences for every similarity. I didn’t con fer with Braves General Manager John Schuerholz during the draft, and I’m sure that had I done so, I wouldn’t have ended up with the squad I have. Let s start with some ot the ways my fantasy team is like the Braves. First off, my team is in < a Yahoo fantasy league, and the Braves conduct their spring training near Fantasyland at the Disney Sports Complex in Florida. OK, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch. The Braves play their home games at Turner Field, but are susceptible to the heat, humidity, rain and wind. My fantasy team doesn’t have to worry about any of those things playing in cyberspace. There is one similarity in that regard; however, and that is that neither team has people watching it in the stands. My team and the Braves have pretty similar pitching staffs, too. Probably the biggest aspect we share is that John Smoltz is our top closer. After that, you’ve got to go out on a limb for a little bit. Atlanta is relying on an aging, bat tle-worn starting pitcher to win it more than a dozen games in 2003, and that is, of course, Greg Maddux Maddux. I am in the same boat, except my pitcher is David Wells, and I’ve already re signed myself to letting him write whatever he wants about my fan tasy team, just like he did with the Yankees. The Braves’ rota tion is a mix of young starters to complement Maddux, with Jason Marquis and Russ Ortiz. Sure enough, I have that ,too, with A. J. Burnett, Brandon Duckworth and Tony Armas Jr. We both be gin the season with two pitchers on the disabled list — Paul Byrd and Mike Hampton for. the Braves and Burnett and Duckworth for me. Aside from Smoltz, our bullpens are fairly different. The Braves will somehow try to find someone who can get the ball from a starter to Smoltz without blow ing the game. I sit pretty with the Mariners’ Kaz Sasaki and the Twins’ Johan Santana. ouiii iay team and the Braves have a solid out field, with some good power hit ters, but I think my infield is much better than Atlanta’s. Carlos Eckstein Delgado, Bret Boone, David Eckstein and Scott Rolen are a much more feared foursome than the scrubs the Braves have. I’m willing to concede that we’re fairly even at catcher. Javy A ♦ ROTHENBERG, SEE PAGE 11