University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Opens Road Trip At South Carolina Wednesday
April 5, 2011 | Softball
April 5, 2011
CHAPEL HILL --- Winners of five of their last six games, North Carolina will travel to South Carolina Wednesday for a midweek tilt at 4 p.m. from Beckham Field. UNC will play their next five games on the road, after playing their last six at home. The Tar Heels are 24-13 overall and 7-2 in ACC play.
AT A GLANCE
Records: UNC 24-13, South Carolina 17-18
Rankings: Neither team is ranked.
TV/Radio/Live Stats: Gametracker| Gamecocksonline.com (South Carolina)
SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES NOTES
• North Carolina is 12-47 all-time against South Carolina dating to the 1985 season.
• The Tar Heels uncorked a school-record six home runs in a 17-7 win over South Carolina a year ago and have won the last two meetings against USC.
• Current first-year USC head coach Beverly Smith (UNC '94) and assistant coach Janelle Breneman served a combined 18 seasons under UNC head coach Donna J. Papa at North Carolina.
NOTING THE TAR HEELS
• Carolina is fresh off a series win over Virginia moving UNC to 7-2 in the ACC.
• The Tar Heels feature a balanced attack with a .285 team batting average, 2.58 staff ERA and a .957 fielding percentage.
• Junior Kelli Wheeler anchors the attack with a .421 batting average, team-leading nine home runs and a .492 on-base percentage. Over her last five games, junior Ally Blake is batting .313 with two home runs and five RBI.
• Freshman Lori Spingola leads UNC in the circle with a 19-9 mark, 1.71 ERA and 174 strikeouts to just 35 walks. Classmate Sara Buchholz is 5-4 on the year and 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in ACC play.
NOTING SOUTH CAROLINA
• The Gamecocks are 17-18 entering a tilt against Charleston Southern Tuesday.
• South Carolina is 3-13 in the SEC, including six games against the top two teams in the nation in Georgia and Alabama. UNC and USC own common opponents in Alabama, Georgetown and Mississippi State.
• Dana Hathorn leads the Gamecocks with a .333 average and team-best 23 RBI. In the circle, Ashley Chastian paces USC with a 2.66 ERA and 3-3 record.
