University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Charlotte
Tar Heels Sweep 49ers
February 16, 2005 | Softball
Feb. 16, 2005
The University of North Carolina softball team improved its record to a perfect 7-0 with a pair of wins over visiting Charlotte Wednesday afternoon at the UNC Softball Complex. Crystal Cox (3-0) got the 3-1 win in game one, while Ashley Allen (2-0) was the winner in game two's 4-3 victory.
The Tar Heels manufactured a run in the bottom of the first in game one to take an early lead. Marissa May reached on an infield single then took second on an Anna Evans sacrifice. Jaclyn Holden then singled through the right side to plate May and give UNC a lead it would not relinquish.
Carolina added an insurance run in the fifth when Julia Bove scored on Evans' suicide squeeze. But Charlotte (2-4) answered in the sixth with back-to-back hits to cut the deficit to 2-1. The 49ers would get no closer, however, as Cox retired the side in order in the seventh after Carolina had scored a final run in the sixth.
Game two also went down to the wire. The Tar Heels jumped out early, scoring a pair of runs in the first and third innings to grab a 4-0 lead. Casey Testa and Joslin Higgins each knocked in runs in the early going. But just as in the opening tilt, the 49ers rallied. Charlotte scored one in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and two more in the sixth to pull within one. That chased Allen from the game with runners on second and third and the Tar Heels turned to Alison Yin to close out the game.
Yin was able to pitch out of the jam, thanks to a great defensive play by Bove. She fielded a sharp grounder and threw home to retire Sierra Brooks who was trying to score from third. Yin then struck out Emily Forbes to preserve the lead. The Tar Heels were unable to score in the sixth, but the 49ers stranded the tying run on first and UNC swept the doubleheader.
Carolina next heads to Houston, Texas, to compete in the Crowne Plaza Classic Friday through Sunday. Live stats will be available on TarHeelBlue.com.
