University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
East Carolina
Cox Fires No-Hitter To Down East Carolina
February 12, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 12, 2003
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina softball team picked up its first win of the season this afternoon behind a no-hitter from freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) and some solid hitting to down East Carolina 4-0 in game one. Game two was suspended due to darkness and will resume tomorrow, Feb. 13 in Chapel Hill at 5 p.m. on the UNC Softball Complex. Carolina improves to 1-2, while East Carolina falls to 0-1.
In the opener, Carolina jumped out in front in the first inning with a two out double by freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) as the Tar Heels led 1-0. UNC added to its lead in the third inning as Holden supplied another two out double collecting two Tar Heels this time to push the score to 3-0. Carolina scored its final run of the game in the fifth inning as senior Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) delivered a two out single to score senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) who had walked and stole a base, as the Heels led 4-0. Cox (1-1) threw 7.0 innings, striking out 13 and walking two.
Holden led the Tar Heels with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, including two doubles and three RBI. Porter finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Carolina scored four runs, on nine hits and no errors. East Carolina scored no runs, on no hits and one error.
In the nightcap, ECU struck first in the bottom of the third inning with a home run by Kristen Johnson as the Tar Heels trailed 1-0. North Carolina answered in the top half of the fourth as junior Jessica Robinson (Asheboro, N.C.) slugged a two out single into center field to score Porter.
ECU tallied three more runs in the fifth as the Tar Heels walked a couple and made two costly errors as they trailed the Pirates 4-1. The game was then suspended because of darkness and will resume tomorrow, Feb. 13, in Chapel Hill at the UNC Softball Complex. The game will pick up in the top of the sixth inning at 5 p.m.
"The first game we came out and did what we want to do on the road and that is score first," said head coach Donna Papa. "We executed well at the plate and on defense and Crystal pitched a tremendous game, I mean a no-hitter, you can't ask for anything more than that.
"The second game we didn't execute. We had one hit and you're not going to win any games with just one hit. We made some mistakes on defense and they took advantage of them.
"That said we still have a chance tomorrow. We are an explosive team at the plate and you never know what can happen."
