University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Travels To #20 South Carolina For Season Opener
January 31, 2003 | Softball
Jan. 31, 2003
Chapel Hill, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina softball team travels to Columbia, S.C., to face the Gamecocks in a softball doubleheader Sunday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m. UNC and USC have opened up the season against one another on four occasions with the Heels winning two of the eight games. Carolina swept South Carolina last season as they opened up the UNC Softball Complex with a pair of victories, 9-8 (10) and 8-1.
"We're really excited about opening up the season against a quality program like South Carolina," said head coach Donna Papa. "The players are anxious to begin the season and face another team.
"There is a long window from September until the spring season begins so the coaches and players get really pumped when the season finally begins."
South Carolina is coming off a 46-20 season where they finished first in the SEC Eastern Division and fell one win shy of making the 2002 NCAA Softball World Series. North Carolina ended last season 34-30, but made it to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament final for the second straight year, falling to Georgia Tech, 6-2. The Tar Heels were picked to finish third in the ACC behind preseason No. 9 Florida State and No. 19 Georgia Tech in 2003.
Carolina returns seven starters to the lineup, including All-American Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.). Tolleson set four school records in her Tar Heel debut season-at bats (224), hits (92), stolen bases (57) and runs scored (53). Another senior returning to the lineup will be outfielder and co-captain Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.). Porter led the Heels with 45 RBI a year ago hitting .317 behind Tolleson.
A couple of pitchers returning for the Heels are sophomores Ashley Allen (Houston, Texas) and Brandi Griffin (Wilmington, N.C.). Allen pitched in 136.1 innings in 2002, striking out 52 en route to a 13-7 record and a 3.08 ERA.
Griffin ended the year with a team's best 1.96 ERA and threw the only no-hitter against UNC Greensboro (4/30/02). She ended the season with a 4-2 record. UNC brought in seven freshmen and one junior transfer to replace the five letterwinners from a year ago.
"We have a lot of new faces this year and the coaching staff can't wait to see what they can do against a quality team like South Carolina," said Papa. "We're excited about this group and want to see what they can do in game situations. The Spring has been challenging as far as preperation, but you deal with whatever you're dealt.
"Our goal is to go out there and execute our defense and get runners on base and advance them. We know that we are not as good as we're going to be later on in the season, but you can still go out there and excute what we have been working on in practice."
South Carolina plays on Beschamer Field (1,500). The press box number is (803) 777-8428.
Carolina will travel to Greenville, N.C., Feb. 12, to face in-state foe East Carolina in its next conest. The Tar Heels and Pirates will play a doubleheader at 5 p.m.
