University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
UNC Wilmington
Tar Heel Softball Shuts Out UNCW
April 25, 2002 | Softball
April 25, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Junior Tiffany Tolleson broke the school single-season record for hits Thursday as North Carolina beat visiting UNC Wilmington 7-0 at the UNC Softball Complex to improve to 30-23 on the season. The Seahawks fell to 21-28 with the loss.
The shutout was the Tar Heels' seventh of the season, the fifth by freshman pitcher Ashley Allen, who struck out four and allowed five hits.
Prior to Thursday, North Carolina's last action had been a pair of losses last Saturday at Florida State that dropped the Tar Heels to 2-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. UNC will close out the conference season Saturday with a doubleheader against Maryland, and Carolina coach Donna Papa hopes the win over UNCW provided some momentum heading into the weekend.
"We needed to play after the Florida State games to get back on track," Papa said. "Ashley did a great job, with no walks and a shutout. Natalie Anter called a great game behind the plate and Ashley hit her spots. And it was exciting to have Tiffany break the record at home."
Tolleson, who is in her first year at UNC after transferring from Stetson University, came into the game with 79 hits, just shy of the school-record 80 by Theresa Buscemi in 1992 and Christine Kubin in 1996. A pair of bunt singles, on her first and third at-bats, pushed her season total to 81. "I never thought when I came to UNC I'd get anything like this," Tolleson said. "It's cool. There's been some pressure the last couple of games as I got close to the record, so I'm glad to get it over with."
Tolleson also scored two runs and needs just two more to break the UNC single-season record in that category. (Four players are tied with 52, and Tolleson now has 51.) She already holds the UNC single-season record for stolen bases and, with a total of 54 in 53 games, leads the NCAA in steals per game.
Tolleson led off the game with her first single, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Rosie Gustavson. Junior Quinn Porter then doubled to right to bring Tolleson home and give the Tar Heels all the runs they would need. UNC added a run in the fourth on an RBI single by freshman Erica Ennis and in the fifth on an RBI single by Anter, the senior catcher.
Carolina scored four more runs on three hits and two UNCW errors in the bottom of the sixth. Two runs came in on an error and two scored on another double by Porter, this one to center. The junior left fielder led UNC at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, three RBI and a walk. Tolleson was 2-for-3 and Gustavson was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs.
The Seahawks got a runner to third three times, but couldn't get across the plate. All five of their hits were singles. Freshman Jamie Gostyla threw the first five innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, two of them earned. Amanda Wilson, also a freshman, pitched the final inning, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits.
UNC Wilmington returns to action on Saturday, hosting College of Charleston for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.
North Carolina's doubleheader against Maryland begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, which is Meet the Tar Heels Day. Players will sign autographs after the second game.
North Carolina 7, UNC Wilmington 0
UNCW 000 000 0 -- 0 5 5
UNC 100 114 X -- 7 10 1
Win: Ashley Allen (13-6); Loss: Jamie Gostyla (9-12)
