University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Welcome 16th-Ranked Seminoles
April 4, 2003 | Softball
April 4, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina softball team will open up Atlantic Coast Conference play against the 16th-ranked Florida State Seminoles on Saturday, April 5. The ACC doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. at the UNC Softball Complex. The Tar Heels and Seminoles are the two hottest teams in the conference right now and will look to take the first step in capturing the league title. UNC enters this Saturday with an overall record of 28-14, winning 18-of-19 games and boasting an 11-1 record at home. FSU is on a seven-game winning streak heading into Friday's games with Elon and have a record of 26-9.
Carolina is led offensively by senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.), freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and junior Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.). Tolleson has led the Tar Heels all season in batting average and currently is on a 14-game hitting streak. Her .448 average is second best in the ACC. She leads the conference with 56 hits, 34 runs scored and 30 stolen bases. Tolleson needs 20 more swipes to reach 197 career stolen bases to take over the NCAA Division I lead.
Holden currently leads the conference in doubles (18), total bases (92) and slugging percentage (.754). She ranks second on Carolina and third in the ACC with a .377 batting average and leads UNC with 32 RBIs (2nd best in the ACC). Holden leads the Tar Heels with eight home runs which is third best in the league.
Price is hitting .315 on the season and ranks second on the Carolina squad with seven home runs. She has two game-winning home runs in the last inning versus Southern Mississippi (2/23) and Lipscomb (3/23). Price has seven doubles and two triples on the year and ranks second on the team with a .611 slugging percentage.
Freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (harrisburg, N.C.) has chipped away at the UNC record books and has led the Tar Heels on the mound all season long. Cox is coming off her second save of the season against Chattanooga where she struck out the side with bases loaded and no outs. Cox stands at 16-7 on the season with two saves and ranks second in the ACC with an 1.00 ERA and 166 strikeouts. She stands fourth all-time in school history in strikeouts and is eighth with seven complete-game shutouts.
The Tar Heels will remain in Chapel Hill for a non-conference matchup against Campbell University on Wednesday, April 9. The doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the UNC Softball Complex. All softball games are free admission.
