University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Elon
Spaulding No Hits Elon In 8-0 Win
March 6, 2009 | Softball
March 6, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Three Tar Heel home runs could not over shadow another gem from Danielle Spaulding as the junior tossed a six inning no hitter while striking out 14 batters against Elon Friday night in the third game of the Tar Heel Invitational. The No. 15 Tar Heels picked up three two-run home runs on the day to carry them past Elon, 8-0 in the six inning run rule affair. Carolina will take on Michigan State at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in a Strike Out Cancer event.
Spaulding started things off like she has in most starts this season by retiring the side in order on strikes in both the first and second innings as both teams struggled to get things going offensively. The junior left-hander made sure that the Phoenix would struggle the rest of the day as she allowed just two runners on the day as she tossed her third career no hitter. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native struck out 14 in the contest.
It took the Tar Heels three innings to get the bats going as they tallied just one hit in the opening three frames before busting loose in the fourth. Christine Knauer led off the fourth with a double to left center before she was moved to third by a sacrifice bunt off the bat off Breanna Brown. A strikeout quickly put two outs on the board before Brittany McKinney came up with a clutch hit for Carolina as she singled to center field to put Carolina in front, 1-0. Two pitches later the lead jumped to three as Emily Troup connected on her first home run of the season, a shot to dead center.
After batting around in the fourth, Knauer started things off once again with a single through the right side. Brown took the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her second home run of the season, giving Carolina a 5-0 advantage.
Following another Spaulding 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth, Whitney Allen led off the bottom half with an infield single. Kelli Wheeler put Carolina just one run away from a run-rule win when she drove a pitch over the right field fence for the third round-tripper in as many innings giving the Tar Heels a 7-0 lead. A one out single by Kelsey Green put the game-closing run on base before Knauer moved her to second with a groundout. An infield single by Brown put runners on the corner. Brown put the pressure on the Elon defense as she stole second base drawing a throw and allowing Green to race home from third and give Carolina the 8-0 win.
Spaulding improved to 7-1 on the year and lowered her team-best ERA to 0.34 in her 53.0 innings of work on the year. Knauer and Brown each finished the game with two hits apiece and a combined three runs scored.
The Tar Heels will return to action on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. when they take on Michigan State in a Strike Out Cancer game.
