University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Southern Mississippi
Carolina Shuts Down Southern Mississippi 1-0
February 23, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 23, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The University of North Carolina softball team downed Southern Mississippi 1-0 behind a brilliant pitching performance from freshman Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.). Cox threw a complete game two-hitter, walking two and striking out 11. Carolina improves to 6-5, while Southern Miss falls to 5-6.
Through the first four innings of play, North Carolina and Southern Mississippi were locked into a pitcher's dual. Cox struck out nine Golden Eagle hitters through four and allowed just one walk. USM's Sarah Boyd broke up the no-hitter for Cox with an infield single in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Golden Eagles its second base runner of the game. The Tar Heels turned a double play on an attempted sacrifice on the next play and escaped the fifth inning giving up no runs as the game remained tied at 0-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) started the inning with a base hit to center field. After a sacrifice bunt, UNC's Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) singled to right field but the Golden Eagles gunned down Tolleson at home plate to keep the score tied at zero.
Junior shortstop Emily Price began the seventh inning with a blast over the left-centerfield fence to give the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Jessica Young (Santa Ana, Calif.) doubled to left-center field to give the Tar Heels a runner in scoring position. The Tar Heels had two more singles to load the bases but were unable to score another run as the game headed into the bottom of the seventh with Carolina leading 1-0.
The Golden Eagles put their first runner of the seventh on base but the Tar Heels' Cox slammed the door striking out one and getting two fly outs to end the ballgame.
North Carolina will host Radford at the UNC Softball Complex at 3 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday, Feb. 25.
