University of North Carolina Athletics
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Carolina Drops 2-1 Decision To Florida In Extra Innings
February 28, 2003 | Softball
Feb. 28, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of North Carolina softball team dropped the opening game of the Texas Invitational, 2-1, to Florida in eight innings of play. UNC freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) pitched all eight innings, allowing two unearned runs and one hit to fall to 5-3. Carolina will face No. 5 Texas at 7 p.m. tonight at McCombs Field. Carolina falls to 8-6, while Florida improves to 16-6 on the season.
Florida struck first in the top of the first inning as Lindsay Cameron reached on an UNC error and later scored on a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. The Tar Heels answered right back as senior center fielder Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) walked to start the bottom half of the inning and freshman first baseman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) drove her in with a two-out single into left field as the game was tied after one, 1-1.
The Gators' Mylin Prieto broke up Cox's no-hitter with a single to center field in the fifth inning, but were unable to score as the game remained tied at 1-1. Neither team managed a run in the sixth inning as the Tar Heels turned a nice double play to end the Gator threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, senior catcher Anna Tharrington (Rocky Mount, N.C.) singled with one out to give the Tar Heels a runner on first. Freshman Michelle Hoffmann (Huntington Beach, Calif.) pinch hit for Tolleson and doubled to the left field fence, but Florida came up with a nice relay to gun down Tharrington at home plate and send the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, UF reached base on an error to start the inning and the next hitter walked to put runners at first and second with no outs. The Gators sacrificed the runners over to second and third with one out. Lindsey Cameron came through for UF with a sac fly to give the Gators their second lead of the game, 2-1, heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Florida brought in transfer pitcher Jenny Gladding to face the Tar Heels in the bottom half of the eighth. UNC could not get anything going as they went down in order to drop the opening game of the Texas Invitational 2-1 in eight innings.
North Carolina had one run, on four hits and four errors, while Florida had two runs, on one hit and one error.
Tharrington led the Tar Heel bats with a 2-for-3 performance, including one double.
Carolina will face No. 5 Texas at 7 p.m. tonight. The game can be followed on www.texassports.com via live stats.
