University of North Carolina Athletics
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Lipscomb
Cox One-Hitter Leads Carolina to Tourney Sweep
April 3, 2005 | Softball
April 3, 2005
CHAPEL HILL --- Junior Crystal Cox tossed a one-hit shutout of Florida Atlantic to lead the University of North Carolina softball team to a sweep of the Tar Heel Invitational Sunday at the UNC Softball Complex. Cox struck out 13, as Carolina defeated Lipscomb and FAU by scores of 6-2 and 3-0. Jennifer Jacobs, Jessica Young and Erica Ennis each had two RBIs to lead the Tar Heels offensively.
Carolina (24-19) took advantage of a Lipscomb miscue to gain an early lead in game one. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jacobs lifted a pop up on the infield that appeared to be destined to end the inning. But the ball was lost in the swirling winds at the field and landed safely between the circle and the third base foul line. By the time the Bisons (15-16) had secured the ball, Jaclyn Holden and Joslin Higgins had scored and Jacobs stood on second with an unusual double.
After a Young double in the third made it 4-0, starter Ashley Allen (6-5) surrended a two-run home run to cut the lead in half. Alison Yin relieved Allen in the fifth, and faced just one batter more than the minimum to record her second save of the season. Anna Evans was 4-for-4 in the contest, and freshman Ashley Oxendine recorded her first career hit in the win.
Cox (11-11) dominated the Owl lineup in game two, allowing only a Pam Mazzarella double in seven innings of work. After a Casey Testa RBI single made it 1-0 in the first, Ennis provided the big blow of the game. Pinch-hitting for Marissa May, Ennis drilled an 0-1 pitch off the left field foul pole to make it 3-0. The blast was Ennis' first homer of the season.
FAU (24-26) would not threaten after that, and Cox struck out the side in the seventh to secure the win for the Tar Heels. By virtue of winning two games on the day, UNC was named the champion of the Tar Heel Invitational.
The Tar Heels will now hit the road for a pair of in-state non-conference games. UNC will visit Buies Creek, N.C., on Tuesday to take on Campbell, then travel to Greenville, N.C., on Wednesday to face the East Carolina Pirates.
