University of North Carolina Athletics
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UNC Softball Drops Pair to Close Carolina Classic
March 27, 2005 | Softball
March 27, 2005
CHAPEL HILL --- The University of North Carolina softball team lost by scores of 7-2 and 3-2 to No. 3 California and Penn State Sunday to conclude play in the Carolina Classic at the UNC Softball Complex. Casey Testa was the only Tar Heel to record two hits on the day, and Jennifer Jacobs belted her first career home run against the Nittany Lions.
In game one, Carolina (20-17) got a second chance at Cal's Kelly Anderson, who no-hit the Tar Heels on Saturday. They seized the opportunity in the early going, scratching out two runs in the first three innings. After Cassie Palmer reached on an error and Marissa May was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, Anna Evans laid down a sacrifice to move both runners into scoring position. Testa then came through with a single to right center to plate Palmer and give UNC its first hit of the weekend off of Anderson (15-1).
After Cal (29-3) scored two in the bottom of the first, the Tar Heels evened the score in the third. May walked and Evans singled with one out, and the two moved into scoring position on a Testa groundout. It was a Bear error that allowed a run to score this time, making it 2-all. But it would not last, as Cal scored one in the third and four in the fifth to blow it open. All four runs in the fifth were unearned, as the Tar Heels committed two costly errors. All three Carolina starting pitchers worked in the contest, with Crystal Cox (9-10) taking the loss.
Penn State (16-11) handed Carolina its second defeat of the day in game two, as the Nittany Lions scored three runs in the third and held on for the win. Ashley Esparza (5-1) went 5.2 innings for PSU to get the win, while staff ace Missy Beseres got the last four outs of the game to pick up her second save of the year.
Jacobs launched a deep drive to right in the fifth to make the score 3-1, the first home run of her young career. She also snagged a line drive in the bottom of the fifth to turn a nifty double play.
Carolina squandered its best opportunity of the game in the second. Testa led off the frame with a long double, and pinch runner Julia Bove moved to third on a sacrifice. After a Whitney Gelin single put runners on the corners, the Tar Heels attempted a squeeze play. Joslin Higgins laid down a solid bunt, but Dove was cut down at the plate on a nice defensive play. Penn State then escaped further trouble by retiring Gelin at third, who was trying to take an extra base on the play.
The Tar Heels have another full week of non-conference play coming up, as they travel to Columbia, S.C., to face the South Carolina Gamecocks on Tuesday, then return home to host the College of Charleston Cougars on Wednesday.
