University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Winthrop
No. 13 Tar Heels Win 18th Straight
April 15, 2009 | Softball
April 15, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 13 North Carolina softball team swept a midweek doubleheader from visiting Winthrop Wednesday as the Tar Heels pounded out 12 hits in the opener for a 7-0 win before grinding out a 2-1 extra-inning win in the nightcap. The pair of wins pushed Carolina's win streak to 18 games and the Tar Heels' overall record to 39-7 overall, while Winthrop drops to 18-17 overall. Carolina will host Virginia Tech this weekend in the final home series of the year.
The Tar Heels struck early in game one as Breanna Brown started things off with a seeing-eye single back up the middle before swiping second base. Danielle Spaulding dropped in a single to left field putting runners at the corners for Whitney Allen. The Fayetteville, N.C., senior hit a grounder to second where it was fielded forcing out Spaulding but Allen was able to reach first allowing Brown to score and putting Carolina in front 1-0.
Carolina would tack on another run in the fourth inning as Brown drove in a run with an RBI single before the Tar Heel offense exploded for five runs in the fifth to blow the game open.
Brittany Robinson drove in Allen with a one-out double down the right field line and Stephanie Murad added an RBI single down the left field line. Freshman backstop Ally Blake came up with the big hit in the inning when she lifted a pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run later in the frame to give Carolina a 7-0 inning.
Starter Danielle Spaulding went six scoreless frames striking out 13, while allowing just a pair of hits in the third inning. Freshman Constance Orr came on in the top of the seventh to retire the side in order as Carolina took the opener 7-0.
The strong pitching continued into the nightcap as Lisa Norris took the circle for Carolina and faced off against Cari Wooldridge. The pair opened the game going back-and-forth with scoreless innings through the first four frames. Norris made it five stranding a pair of runners in the top of the fifth before leading off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Immediately after Norris touched first the sky opened up forcing a 20-minute rain delay. When action resumed Anna Roberts came on to pinch run for Norris and moved to second when Dani Manko grounded out to third. Pinch hitter Brittany McKinney singled to second base to put runners on the corners. Christine Knauer reentered the contest for McKinney and stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Breanna Brown who laid down a picture perfect bunt to put Carolina in front 1-0.
The lead would not last long as Winthrop struck with a leadoff double putting the pressure on Norris and the Tar Heels. A passed ball moved Veronica Berrie to third before a single to center field tied the game at 1-1.
The score would remain knotted at 1-1 heading into extra innings as the international tiebreaker rule was implemented. A lead off walk put runners on first and second with no one out before Berrie went down on strikes. Mallory Hogan stepped to the plate next and hit a slow roller in front of the plate that was fielded by the catcher Ally Blake, Hogan hustled out a single but Blake alertly held onto the ball and fired to Alyssa Francona at third to cut down a greedy Tessa Thomas who had overran the base for out number two. Another strikeout ended any threat of a run and put Carolina to bat.
rown started out the bottom of the eighth at second base and advanced to third when Danielle Spaulding singled to center. An intentional walk to Whitney Allen loaded the bases for Emily Troup who laced a single through the left side allowing Brown to waltz in from third and give Carolina its 18th straight win, the longest active streak in the country.
Carolina will look to extend the streak 19 on Saturday when the Tar Heels host Virginia Tech in a doubleheader scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Anderson Stadium.
