University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida Atlantic
Cox Reaches Milestone In Win Over FAU
March 18, 2006 | Softball
March 18, 2006
OCA RATON, Fla. --- Senior pitcher Crystal Cox struck out 15 batters to become the first Tar Heel pitcher in school history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts, as No. 25 North Carolina defeated Florida Atlantic, 2-1, Saturday night in the final game of the day in the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament. The 15 strikeouts tied a career high set earlier this season in a loss to Arizona State.
Carolina (23-9) scored in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore left fielder Ashley Oxendine reached on a one-out bunt single and advanced to second on a groundout. After a Jennifer Jacobs infield single, freshman Lisa Norris singled to right to score Oxendine. Norris, making her first career start in right field, would finish 1 for 2 with a walk.
The only hiccup for Cox came in the second when FAU (11-17) tied the score. Shauna Corso led off with a single to first and advanced to third when Cox threw wild to first following a sacrifice bunt by Mandie Fishback. Danielle Arriaga, who had two of FAU's four hits on the night, then drove home Corso to make it 1-all. The Owls looked poised to take the lead with runners on second and third with no outs, but junior catcher Theresa Nicholas picked off Arriaga and Cox struck out Vanessa Suarez and Charlotte Baird to end the inning.
The strikeout of Suarez would begin a dominant period for Cox, during which she reached the 1,000-strikeout plateau. The Harrisburg, N.C., senior would retire 11 of 12 batters on strikes, including eight straight at one point. Her fourth-inning punchout of Fishback would give her 1,000 at UNC. No other Tar Heel has ever recorded more than 700 in a career.
Despite Cox's control from the circle, the game was still in doubt until the fifth. Sophomore Cassie Palmer reached on a one-out walk and advanced to second on Oxendine's infield single. Sophomore Casey Testa then flew to right, allowing Palmer to advance to third. But the throw in from right fielder Becky Brandies was wide of third, and Palmer scored the deciding run on the error.
The unearned run spoiled a solid outing by FAU starter Kathryn Stauffer. Stauffer allowed just one earned run over six, but fell to 4-11 on the season.
The Tar Heels will return to action Sunday afternoon at 1 when they will meet Connecticut in the third-place game.
