University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Seton Hall
UNC Falls To Seton Hall In NCAA Action
May 20, 2005 | Softball
May 20, 2005
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - With the score tied, one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Seton Hall senior first baseman Laura Taylor ripped a walk-off single to right to down North Carolina Friday in NCAA Tournment play.
The Pirates loaded the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk from the top three in the order, setting up Taylor's first hit of the game. Senior Pirate pitcher Megan Myer (27-5) tossed 8.0 innings of two-hit ball, striking out eight and equaling her own school records for single-season strikeouts (242) and wins (27). North Carolina's Crystal Cox (20-19) allowed six hits - including three in the final inning - and struck out five in 7.1 innings of work.
The Tar Heels return to action in the double-elimination format on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. game against Canisius, which lost to top-ranked Michigan Friday.
Meyer held North Carolina hitless through the first seven innings, allowing just one Tar Heel on base through seven with a walk by Anna Evans the first inning. North Carolina hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top of the eighth, but an infield fly doubling the runner off first base ended the threat.
North Carolina struggled at the plate until the eighth inning when freshman first baseman Jennifer Jacobs recorded the Tar Heels' first hit of the game. Junior designated player Erica Ennis looped a ball over the third baseman's head on the first pitch of the next at-bat to put runners on first and second. The next batter, Theresa Nicholas, hit a high fly ball near the second base bag, invoking the infield fly rule. Ashley Oxendine, pinch running for Ennis, was caught off the bag at first to end the inning.
UNC has now gone four games, a total of 29 innings, without scoring a run.
Cox struck out the first Seton Hall batter in the bottom of the eighth, but Pierce and junior designated player Caitlyn White managed back-to-back singles followed by an eight-pitch walk for senior second baseman D'Arcy Djakalovic to load the bases. Taylor's single to right was the third hit of the inning, handing UNC its fourth-straight shutout loss.
The extra-inning loss was a repeat of last year's NCAA Tournament matchup with Seton Hall. In an elimination game in Waco, Texas, the Pirates beat Carolina 1-0 in 12 innings. Meyer and Cox were the pitchers in that game as well.
Quotes
North Carolina head coach Donna J. Papa
On the game overall: "I thought it was a well-played game by both teams. I think both pitchers did a great job. When it gets to extra innings, all it takes is that one hit. I'm of course disappointed because we lost to Seton Hall last year in extra innings. We we're looking at this game to be a revenge game."
On the team's recent offensive struggles: "We haven't been able to put any runs on the board. The last four games have been zeroes - we just haven't been able to score. We just need to put the ball in play find a way to get it done whether it's ugly or pretty. All we need is for just one person to start it. We're a team that feeds off that one person stepping up and getting it done. We got it going in the eighth inning, but it was killed by our base-running mistakes."
Seton Hall head coach Ray Vander May
On the pitching: "Megan (Meyer) was able to move the ball around and change speeds a little bit and threw okay. She actually wasn't in control of her strike zone as much as she normally would be, but she did a fine job."
On the lack of offense: "Their pitcher was very good. She shuts her opponents down, but North Carolina hasn't been able to get many runs for her. The same thing happened last year. (Crystal Cox) went sixteen innings against Baylor and shut them down but she didn't get any support. She went 11 innings against us last year - she is very, very good."
