University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Northwestern
Tar Heels Drop Two At Speedline Invitational
March 7, 2003 | Softball
March 7, 2003
PLANT CITY, Fla. -- The University of North Carolina softball team dropped both games at the Speedline Invitational today to Northwestern, 8-0 (5), and Hofstra, 1-0. The Tar Heels were out-slugged 11-6 in the opener and allowed an unearned run in the fifth inning against Hofstra to fall to 10-12 on the season. Northwestern and Hofstra improve to 11-5 and 7-8.
In game one, Northwestern pitchers Courtnay Foster and Laura Swendimann combined to shut out the Tar Heels for the Wildcats holding them to six hits.
NU jumped out in front of the Tar Heels in the first inning knocking freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) out of the game in the first inning tallying five runs on five hits and two triples for a 5-0 lead.
The Wildcats added two unearned runs in the second inning to expand their lead to seven. NU added another run in the third inning on three singles to take an 8-0 lead over the Tar Heels.
Carolina scored no runs, on six hits and two errors, while Northwestern scored eight runs, on 11 hits and no errors.
Cox pitched a third of an inning, allowing three hits and three earned runs to fall to 6-5 on the season. Streete and Tolleson led UNC offensively each going 2-for-2.
In the nightcap, the Pride put runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of third inning after consecutive singles to pose the first threat of the ballgame. Cox smothered Hofstra's chances of scoring with a strikeout and a pop out to short stop to send the game to the fourth inning scoreless.
Junior Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) led off the fifth inning with a free pass and moved to second on Streete's sacrifice bunt. After a wild pitch, Price moved over to third base but UNC was unable to drive her in as the game headed to the bottom of the fifth tied at zero.
Hofstra scored an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning on a throwing error with two outs to take the game's first lead, 1-0. Carolina put its first runner on base in the sixth as Tolleson bunted for a hit. After a failed sacrifice, Tolleson was thrown out at second base caught stealing and the Tar Heels headed to the seventh inning down by one.
Hofstra's A. Clark retired the Tar Heels in order to pick up a save for the Pride and down UNC.
Carolina scored no runs, on two hits and had two errors, while Hofstra scored one run, on three hits and no errors.
Cox threw six innings, allowing three hits, one run, no earned runs and struck out seven.
North Carolina will face No. 4 Washington on the Stadium field on Saturday at 2 p.m. Carolina stands at 1-3, while UW is 4-0 at the tournament.
