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Tar Heels Drop Pair to South Carolina
March 29, 2005 | Softball
March 29, 2005
The University of North Carolina softball team fell to 20-19 on the season, as the Tar Heels dropped a pair of games to South Carolina, 4-1 and 3-1, Tuesday night in Columbia, S.C. The host Gamecocks improved to 21-14, and handed UNC its fourth- and fifth-straight losses.
Carolina's only lead of the doubleheader came in game one, when Marissa May scored from second on a Gamecock error. But the lead would be shortlived, as South Carolina scored three times. After a hit by pitch, a dropped third strike and a walk loaded the bases, McKenna Hughes brought home all three runners with a bases-clearing double.
A pair of 3-for-3 efforts by Anna Evans and Jennifer Jacobs were wasted, as the Tar Heels could not produce anymore runs after the third. USC added an insurance run in the fifth to provide the final margin. Crystal Cox took the loss, her third straight, to fall to 9-11 on the year.
The Tar Heels were again unable to mount a scoring surge in game two. Only a Cassie Palmer single that scored Whitney Gelin prevent Carolina from being shut out for the 10th time in 2005. After the Gamecocks scored an unearned run in the first, UNC would go hitless until a Joslin Higgins single in the fifth.
Carolina's best scoring opportunity came in the second, when USC starter Kate Pouliot loaded the bases with one out on three consecutive walks. But Gamecock reliever Aleca Johnson, who had the save in game one, retired the next two Tar Heel batters to end the threat. Ashley Allen had another strong start for Carolina, but fell to 5-5 with the loss.
UNC will quickly return to action, as the Tar Heels host the College of Charleston in a doubleheader Wednesday at the UNC Softball Complex.
