University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Baylor
Tar Heels Fall to No. 11 Baylor in Crowne Plaza Finale
February 20, 2005 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2005
The University of North Carolina softball team dropped its final game of the Crowne Plaza Classic, falling to No. 11 Baylor, 11-1, Sunday in Houston, Texas. The Tar Heels fall to 10-2 on the season, while the Bears improve to 17-2. Casey Testa led Carolina at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run.
Crystal Cox (4-2) started the game in the circle and allowed five earned runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss. Cristin Vitek (6-1), who struck out an NCAA record 28 batters in 16 shutout innings in last season's NCAA Tournament game against the Tar Heels, went the distance to earn the win.
Baylor got out in front early with single runs in the first and second. The Bears loaded the bases in the top of the first with two hits and a walk before plating the game's first run on a throwing error by Cox. But Cox used a double play and a strikeout to escape further trouble. Baylor's April Luce led off the second with a solo home run to increase the deficit to 2-0.
Carolina pulled within one in the fourth on Testa's second homer of the weekend. The freshman drove a two-out pitch to left field to make the score 2-1, the first Tar Heel run against Baylor in more than 19 innings. After Baylor went down in order in the fifth, Jessica Young doubled to left center to put the tying run in scoring position. But Vitek struck out Theresa Nicholas and Erin Dudley to end the threat.
The 11th-ranked Bears turned a barnburner into a rout with a nine run sixth inning. Cox was touched for four hits and a home run before giving way to Ashley Allen. Allen allowed five hits and five runs before finally retiring the side.
Trailing by 10 runs, UNC was forced to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the game. But the Tar Heels could only muster a Jaclyn Holden single, and the contest ended after six innings due to the mercy rule.
Carolina returns to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at in-state rival Elon. Game one is set to begin at 2 p.m.
