University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Hosts UNC Wilmington In Home Opener
February 18, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 18, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina softball team will open up its home season with a doubleheader against UNC Wilmington Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the UNC Softball Complex at 2 p.m. The Tar Heels ended a shortened Triangle Classic (due to weather conditions) 2-0. Carolina defeated Rutgers 10-2 in five innings and downed Dayton 4-2, thanks to a late rally in the sixth inning. UNC is currently 3-3 on this young season, while UNCW is 1-2.
Leading the Tar Heels offensively are senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) and freshmen Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.). Tolleson leads UNC with a .526 batting average and five stolen bases through six games.
Holden enters the games with the Seahawks on a hot streak. She has hit safely in her last two ballgames and went 6-for-7, with two home runs, two doubles and five RBI in the Triangle Classic. Holden had a slugging percentage of 1.545 last week in four games and currently ranks second on the UNC team with a .412 batting average.
Welch was moved to the two hole for the Tar Heels this past week and has excelled. She has hit safely in three of her last four games and ranks third on the Carolina squad with a .333 batting average. Welch has three RBI early on this season and has been rock solid at second base committing no errors in 18 chances.
Pacing the Tar Heels on the mound has been freshman right-hander Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.). Cox went 2-0 last week including a no-hitter against East Carolina where she struck out 13 Pirate hitters, walking one and hitting one in her first collegiate victory. In her second game of the week, Cox needed to pitch only five innings thanks to some run support, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out seven. She stands at 2-1 on the season.
UNC Wilmington's Christine Freaney (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Tiffany Lindemann (Boiling Springs, N.C.) have led the Seahawks through their first three games. Both of them are hitting .444 with four singles and three RBI in three games this season.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Amanda Wilson (King, N.C.) leads UNCW on the mound early on. Wilson threw a complete game (five innings, 13-1) shutout against Campbell (Feb. 14), allowing one hit, one run, no earned runs and struck out four to improve to 1-0 on the season.
North Carolina will travel to Columbus, Ga. for the Leadoff Classic Feb. 21-23. The tournament will host 24 ranked teams, including two of the three teams that Carolina will face in pool play-No. 4 Nebraska and No. 14 Stanford on Friday, and Southern Mississippi on Saturday.
