May 4, 2001

Reining National Player of the Year Kip Bouknight tossed athree-hit shutout in leading the South Carolina Gamecocks to an 11-0victory over the Kentucky Wildcats on Friday night at Sarge Frye Field.

Four different Gamecocks belted home runs as the Gamecocks pounded out 12hits and improved to 37-14 overall, 13-12 in the Southeastern Conference.UK could muster only three hits, a season low, in falling to 20-30, 6-19 inconference play.

Leading 1-0 in the fourth inning, USC’s bats came alive. Michael Floyd ledoff with a single and advanced to second on a single by Bryon Jeffcoat.After Tripp Kelly popped up to UK pitcher Scott Wade on a failed buntattempt, Chris Plummer, the number nine hitter for the Gamecocks, smacked athree run homer over the left field wall. Marcus McBeth then followed witha solo blast, giving USC a 5-0 lead.

Carolina would add a single run in the sixth on a solo homer from Kellybefore plating two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to make thefinal tally 11-0. Included in the two-run seventh inning was TimWhittaker’s team-leading 16th home run.

Bouknight improved to 8-2 with the win. Bouknight, a senior RHP, struckout six batters while allowing only three bases-on-balls. Wade suffered theloss for UK, falling to 3-8 on the campaign. Wade allowed 11 hits and eightearned runs over 6-1/3 innings.

Vince Harrison collected two of the three Wildcat base hits. Brad Pickrelland Spencer Preston both saw their seven-game hitting streaks come to andend as the two went a combined 0-for-7 on the night.

Brennan Dees paced USC with three hits as every Gamecock starter asidefrom Drew Meyer collected at least one hit.

UK will look to even the series tomorrow when the two team meet again at 6p.m. Rob Corrado will take the mound for UK. Gary Bell is scheduled tostart for USC.