University of North Carolina Athletics
Spaulding Advances To European Championship
August 21, 2009 | Softball
Aug. 21, 2009
CHAPEL HILL - Danielle Spaulding and the Austrian Sharx defeated the Italian champions Fiorini Forlì 3-1 to advance to the championships European Cup in Milan, Italy. Playing for the Austrian Sharx, Spaulding is 3-1 with 27 innings pitched, 43 strikeouts and a 0.26 ERA tops among the tournament. At the plate Friday, Spaulding went 2-for-3 improving her tournament average to .429 with two home runs and six RBI.
Earlier in the day Friday, Spaulding hurled a complete game one-hitter against the Italian AMGA Legnano in a 1-0 victory. Spaulding struck out seven in seven innings while only allowing one hit in the Sharx's, fourth straight victory.
The Rancho Cuchamonga, Calif. native and the Sharx have reeled off six straight wins to advance to the cup's championship. In the first meeting between the two teams this week the Sharx fell to Fiorini Forli 5-1, as Spaulding struck out four in only 1.2 innings pitched. The Sharx defeated Fiorini Forli's Stacy Nelson (Flordia 06-09), after Nelson allowed two earned runs. At Florida, Nelson was the nation's ERA leader in 2009 at a 0.99 clip, meaning the nation's leader in strikeouts and ERA are on display in Italy with Spaulding and Nelson. Stay tuned to tarheelblue.com for further updates on Spaulding's experiences in Italy.
