University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
UNC Wilmington
Haleigh Dickey's Three Home Run Day Powers Carolina Over Wilmington, 5-0
March 25, 2010 | Softball
March 25, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Freshman third baseman Haleigh Dickey reeled off three home runs for No. 19 North Carolina (23-8, 3-3 ACC) as the Tar Heels post a 5-0 victory over UNC Wilmington (5-18) on Thursday afternoon at Anderson Stadium. In the game the Tar Heels hit a season-high four home runs and Sophomore Kelli Wheeler started the Tar Heels home run brigade with a solo shot in the second inning. Pitcher Amber Johnson, in a relief appearance for Danielle Spaulding, earns her fifteenth win this season by shutting down the Seahawks in four innings pitched.
The three home runs from Haleigh Dickey (Woodstock, Ga.) set a record for the most in a single game by a Carolina batter. Previously the high was two and shared by ten different batters with the last coming from current Tar Heel Brittany McKinney in 2008. Coming into the game the freshman had not previously hit a home run this season. The freshman has started five out of the past seven games for the Tar Heels and has responded by batting at a .294 clip during the span.
"I was just relaxed at the plate," said Haleigh Dickey "That is something that I look forward to continuing as we go forward."
"I've been here for 25 years and I've never seen a performance like that. I think that she has been hitting the ball well lately and that's why she is in the lineup" said Head Coach Donna Papa about Dickey's performance.
Sophomore Kelli Wheeler also went deep for the Tar Heels, hitting her fifth home run of the season on a solo shot to right field. The home run ties Wheeler with pitcher/first baseman Danielle Spaulding for the team lead with five.
Senior Danielle Spaulding made her return to the mound for Carolina after missing over a week with a hand injury. The two-time ACC Player of the Year allowed only one hit in three scoreless innings.
Senior Amber Johnson relieved Spaulding, entered the game in the fourth and shut down the Wilmington batters. Johnson pitched four scoreless innings and gained her team-leading 15th win of the season for the Tar Heels.
Carolina next takes the field against NC State in a pivotal matchup in the ACC standings. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. and Sunday's game at 1 p.m. at Anderson Stadium.
