University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Charlotte
Career Day For Palmer Helps UNC To Sweep
March 6, 2007 | Softball
March 6, 2007
CHAPEL HILL --- A record-setting day from Cassie Palmer and two terrific performances in the circle highlighted a doubleheader sweep for North Carolina against Charlotte, as UNC claimed 16-0 and 3-1 wins Tuesday at Anderson Stadium. Carolina now sits at 15-8 and is riding an eight-game winning streak, while Charlotte fell to 15-4.
Palmer was the brightest of a slew of offensive stars in game one for the Tar Heels as she went 4-4 with two home runs - both in the fourth inning - and a career-high six RBI in the opener. Her two home runs in the game tied a UNC record shared by six other players; Jennifer Jacobs last accomplished the feat not even a week ago against East Carolina for the second multi-home run game of her career. As well, Palmer's 10 total bases equaled a school record set by Jil Swanson in a 1990 game against Coastal Carolina, and her six RBI fell just one short of the school's all-time mark.
The scoring for UNC in the first tilt started from the outset as Carolina jumped on the board in the bottom half of the first, plating a run to take a 1-0 lead. Palmer, back in her familiar leadoff spot, got things going for the Tar Heels, fighting off an inside pitch and lifting it over the third baseman down the left field line for a single. A Breanna Brown sacrifice bunt moved Palmer to second, and Stephanie Murad followed with a single to put Palmer on third. Jennifer Jacobs picked up an RBI on her groundout to third as Palmer came home on the play, and UNC held a one-run lead after one.
Charlotte put two runners on with only one out in the top of the second to threaten, but Lisa Norris, who had already picked up one strikeout in the frame, struck out the next two 49er batters as well to send it to the bottom half with no damage done.
Palmer factored into some UNC offense again in the second, this time picking up two RBI of her own with a single to right field that brought home Anna Evans and Norris, putting the Heels up 3-0. Both Evans and Norris earned walks to get on, and a great sacrifice bunt by leftfielder Ashley Oxendine put them both on scoring position for Palmer.
Jacobs added her team-leading sixth home run in the third, cranking a line drive shot over the right field fence to give Carolina a 4-0 lead. Whitney Allen followed with a single up the middle, and two batters later, Norris helped her own cause with her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right center that extended UNC's advantage to six heading into the fourth.
The home-run barrage continued for the Tar Heels in a giant 10-run fourth inning, and unsurprisingly, it was Palmer who decided it was time to get in on the round-tripper act herself. Twice, in fact. Her shot that cleared the fence down the left field line to lead off the inning came on a full-count and gave her a trio of threes - her third hit and her third RBI of the game as well as her third home run on the year.
Up 7-0, Carolina was far from done, though, adding four more runs in the frame to set the stage for Palmer's second at-bat of the fourth. And she certainly took advantage, sending a three-run shot over the fence to collect her second home run in the inning and her fourth hit of the game. Jacobs capped the explosive outburst for the Tar Heels, dropping a two-run double into left center for her third and fourth RBI of the day, making the score 16-0.
Danielle Spaulding, who picked up an RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the fourth, pitched a scoreless fifth to close things out in a run-rule victory for UNC. Norris went four innings and gave up three hits and no runs to get the win, pushing her record to 9-6. She has now won five straight decisions after starting the year 4-6.
The four home runs in the game was a season high for North Carolina.
In the second game, pitcher Amber Johnson kept the Tar Heels' momentum rolling, starting quick by striking out four of first five Charlotte batters she faced. Johnson only allowed two batters over the minimum through three innings but a Carolina miscue in the fourth helped the 49ers plate a run and give them a 1-0 lead - ending a 44-inning streak spanning eight games during which time UNC never trailed.
The deficit didn't even last till the end of the bottom half, though, as UNC struck back with a run to tie the game at one. A Murad leadoff single to start the frame was converted into a run by an Evans triple two batters later, and the game was tied 1-1.
The Tar Heels added another run in both the fifth and sixth innings while keeping the 49ers scoreless to stretch their lead to two. In the fifth, Cassie Palmer worked a walk to leadoff the inning and Breanna Brown followed with an RBI-double to right center. Then, in the sixth, Evans added a solo home run to make it a 2-3, 2 RBI day for her and give Carolina a 3-1 advantage.
Evans' triple and home run were the first all year given up by Charlotte starter Christy Murray, who entered the game with an 8-0 record.
Johnson made it an uneventful top of the seventh as Charlotte went three-up, three down to end the game. For the day, Johnson gave up only two hits and one unearned run. She struck out seven and walked just one in picking up her sixth win of the season.
UNC next heads to Clearwater, Fla. for the USF/Adidas Tournament, where they will open up pool play against Oklahoma State and host South Florida on Thursday.
