University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Tulsa
No. 25 Carolina Rallies To Beat Tulsa
March 11, 2006 | Softball
March 11, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- No. 25 North Carolina scored four unearned runs, including three in the decisive fifth inning, to defeat Tulsa, 4-2, Saturday night in the Gold bracket quarterfinals at the FSU Invitational. Senior pitcher Crystal Cox allowed just three hits over seven innings to get the win in the circle.
Carolina (18-5) had a chance to get out in front early, putting two runners on with one out in the bottom of the first. A single and an error brought sophomore Casey Testa to the plate, and Testa ripped a single through the right side. But a perfect throw from right fielder Jessica Barr cut down Ashley Oxendine, and Testa was retired trying to take second on the throw to end the rally.
After a quiet second, Tulsa (13-8) got on the board in the third. Lindsey Tower ripped a leadoff double to start the frame, but it looked like Cox (7-4) might escape after a pop-up and a strikeout. But Katie Torres drilled a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Golden Hurricane a 2-0 lead.
UNC got a run back in the bottom half of the third to cut the Tulsa lead in half. Junior right fielder Erin Dudley started the rally with a one-out single. After a fielder's choice erased Dudley, Oxendine reached on a fielding error to give the Tar Heels runners on first and second. Sophomore Jennifer Jacobs then blooped a double into shallow left to score Palmer and make it 2-1. Testa had a chance to do more damage with runners on second and third, but popped out on the first pitch she saw to end the rally.
Carolina squandered another golden opportunity in the fourth. Junior shortstop Anna Evans and freshman center fielder Breanna Brown reached on back-to-back singles and moved up a base on Joslin Higgins' sacrifice bunt. But pinch hitter Lisa Norris and Dudley could not get the ball out of the infield, and the Tar Heels stranded a pair of runners in scoring position.
After leaving five runners on through four innings, Carolina finally broke through in the fifth thanks to a key Tulsa error. Oxendine and Testa singled, and Evans was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Brown then grounded to third, where Brooke Smart led the ball get through her to tie the score at 2-all. Higgins then came up with what would be the game-winning hit, singling to right to score Cox, who was pinch-running for Testa, and Evans.
Cox was at her best after regaining the lead. The Harrisburg, N.C., native retired the final six batters in order including the final three outs on just five pitches.
Carolina now advances to the semifinals of the Gold bracket, where the Tar Heels will meet Utah, a 3-2 winner over Kent State. Indiana will meet Connecticut in the other semifinal.
