University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Softball Heads To Speedline Invitational
March 5, 2003 | Softball
March 5, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina softball team travels to Plant City, Fla. for the Speedine Invitational March 6-9. The Tar Heels will face Ball State and No. 18/16 Massachusetts at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. UNC will compete against Northwestern and Hofstra on Friday at 10 a.m. and Noon, concluding pool play against the fourth-ranked Huskies from Washington at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Carolina enters the tournament with a 9-9 overall record. The Tar Heels ended the Texas Tournament with a 1-4 record, but upset No. 19 Michigan (now 16th), 3-1, for the Wolverines only loss. Michigan defeated No. 5 Texas, 2-1, in the championship game.
The Tar Heels continue to out-hit their opponents .252 to .185. UNC pitchers are only allowing 1.97 earned runs a game and are holding the opposition to an .185 batting average.
Senior center fielder Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) continues to lead Carolina in hitting and stolen bases. Tolleson currently has a batting average of .429 and has 13 stolen bases in 16 attempts.
Freshman first baseman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) leads the team with 15 RBIs,s even doubles and a .720 slugging percentage. Holden ranks second on the team with a .360 batting average and three home runs.
Junior short stop Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) has two game-winning home runs for the Tar Heels and ranks third on the team with a .298 average. Price has four home runs on the season which leads the team.
Freshmen pitchers Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) and Alison Yin (Glendale, Calif.) continue to be the work horses for UNC on the mound. Cox has pitched in 10 games, attaining a 5-4 record, two no-hitters, 52.2 innings pitched, striking out 66 and posting a team best 1.20 ERA.
Yin is 4-1 on this young season and held No. 16/18 Michigan to one run in 9.2 innings last week. She has thrown in nine ballgames, allowing 33 hits in 38.1 innings pitched and has an ERA of 1.83.
Carolina will return home for doubleheaders against Furman on March 12 and Charlotte on March 13. UNC and Furman will begin at 2 p.m., and the Tar Heels and 49ers will start at 3:30 p.m. at the UNC Softball Complex.
*Rankings by NFCA/ESPN/USA Today Polls
