University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
East Tennessee
Tar Heels Open Florida Tournament With 8-0 Win
February 15, 2008 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2008
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The North Carolina softball team opened the Cox Communications Classic with another impressive 8-0 victory in five innings over East Tennessee State on Friday. Danielle Spaulding struck out 11, including the final six batters she faced, as she won her first start of the season. Spaulding also helped herself out at the plate as she hit a solo shot to put the Tar Heels ahead early.
A two-out rally in the top of the first put Carolina up early as Cassie Palmer worked a full count walk and then proceeded to steal second. Hot-hitting Emily Troup picked up her eighth RBI of the year as she laced a ball just inside first base that rolled into the corner for a triple. Palmer produced in the field as well in the bottom half of the first as she turned a double play as she tagged the runner and fired to first for the twin-killing.
The Tar Heel offense put another big number on the scoreboard in the second as Spaulding led off with her second homer of the year, a shot to dead center. Bree Ensminger and Stephanie Murad followed with back-to-back singles as the duo would later score to go up 4-0.
Troup kept things going in the third as she led off with a double to right center and scored after Whitney Allen hit a ball to center field that dropped in for a single and got past the centerfielder allowing Allen to get to third. Allen would not last on third for long as she would be awarded home after an illegal pitch by the ETSU pitcher.
Carolina added another pair of runs in the fourth as Breanna Brown led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brown would be cut down between second and third as she was called for interference on a ball hit by Troup. Allen would pick up her second hit of the day as she dropped a double into the left centerfield gap putting runners on second and third. Back-to-back wild pitches made the score 8-0 before Spaulding went to work.
In Spaulding's first start of the year in the circle she was dominant allowing just two hits, while not walking anyone and striking out a career-high 11. The Fontana, Calif. native would go to a three ball count just once in the final two innings and that was to the first batter of the fourth before she rattled off six consecutive strikeouts to end the ball game.
Line Score
Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- North Carolina...... 132 20 - 8 9 1 East Tenn. State.... 000 00 - 0 2 4 --------------------------------------
