University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NC State
No. 15 Tar Heels Hold On For 2-1 Win
April 5, 2009 | Softball
April 5, 2009
RALEIGH, N.C. - A two-run fourth inning propelled the No. 15 North Carolina softball team past NC State for a 2-1 win Sunday afternoon in Raleigh as the Tar Heels won their 13th straight game. Lisa Norris thwarted a seventh-inning rally for her 16th win of the year with her four scoreless innings of relief. Carolina will head to East Carolina for a single game on Wednesday, April 8.
NC State struck for its first run of the weekend in the third inning when the Wolfpack took advantage of a Tar Heel miscue to lead off the inning. An attempted sacrifice bunt attempt was unsuccessful as Ally Blake caught the errant attempt in foul ground for the first out. A hit by pitch put runners on first and second with one out before another pop out to Blake almost had Danielle Spaulding out of trouble. A single through the left side quickly made the game 1-0 as NC State pushed across the unearned run.
The lead would not last long however as Carolina stormed back for a pair of runs in the top half of the fourth to take a 2-1 advantage. Whitney Allen started things off with a one out double down the left field line before Spaulding split the gap in right center for a double of her own, plating pinch runner Dani Manko to even the score at 1-1. An infield single by Emily Troup put a pair of runners on for Anna Roberts who reached on a fielder's choice to third base as the Wolfpack third baseman stepped on third for the second out and tried to get greedy by getting a double play but an errant throw allowed Troup to score from first putting Carolina in front 2-1.
The Tar Heels implemented their traditional split staff on Sunday as Danielle Spaulding tossed the opening three innings before Lisa Norris took over in the fourth. Spaulding allowed the lone hit and an unearned run in her three innings of work, while Norris picked up where she left off on Saturday setting down the Wolfpack in order in the fourth.
Norris found herself in trouble in the bottom of the seventh when NC State mounted a late rally with a leadoff single to second before picking up a strikeout. Another infield single put runners on first and second with one out but Norris hunkered down and forced a fly out to left field for the second out. A free pass loaded the bases for Alyssa Allbritten who popped up to short to end the late threat and push the Carolina win streak to 13 games.
Carolina will make the trip East to take on East Carolina on Wednesday before hosting Virginia in a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
