University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Begin California Swing
March 7, 2012 | Softball
March 7, 2012
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LONG BEACH, Calif.--No. 23 North Carolina heads west to compete in the Long Beach State Invitational March. 8-10. The Tar Heels will take on Eastern Kentucky, Oregon State, UNLV, Utah State and tournament host Long Beach State. UNC opens play Thursday, March 8, against Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), followed by a matchup with Oregon State at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 PT).
AT A GLANCE
Records: Carolina 14-5, Eastern Kentucky 6-3 , Oregon State 17-5 , UNLV 9-10, Utah State 8-8 , Long Beach State 7-15.
Rankings: Carolina is No. 23 the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and is No. 24 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll. Oregon State is receiving votes in the NFCA/USA Today Coaches' poll and the ESPN.com poll. Eastern Kentucky, UNLV, Utah State and Long Beach State are unranked.
TV/Radio/Live Stats: Follow the action live on GameTracker.
SERIES RECORDS
Eastern Kentucky: Carolina has never played Eastern Kentucky before.
Oregon State: Carolina is 1-0 all-time against Oregon State. The Tar Heels defeated the Beavers, 5-2, at the Palm Springs Classic in 2009.
UNLV: Carolina and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels have never met before.
Utah State: Carolina is 1-0 all-time against Utah State. The Tar Heels blanked the Aggies, 8-0, in the National Invitational Tournament in San Jose, Calif., in 1999.
Long Beach State: This will be the first meeting between Carolina and LBSU.
TAR HEEL SCHEDULE AT INVITAIONAL
Thursday, March 8: vs. Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT), vs. Oregon State 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT).
Friday, March 9: vs. UNLV at 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT), vs. Utah State at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT).
Saturday, March 10: vs. Long Beach State at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).
NOTING THE TAR HEELS
• North Carolina is off to its best start since 2000, opening the season with a 14-5 ledger.
• Carolina broke into the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll at No. 24 and moved up a spot to No. 23 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, which marks the highest ranking for UNC since 2010.
• Three Tar Heels are batting over .300 on the season: Logan Foulks (.373), Ally Blake (.345) and Amy Nece (.324).
•Also showing power at the plate, four Tar Heels have notched double-digit home runs in 2012: Kelli Wheeler (4), Foulks (3), Blake (3) and Jenna Kelly (2).
• Sophomore pitcher Ashley Bone picked up her first career win as a starter against Fordham March 3. The Rocky Mount, N.C., scattered five hits, two walks and two earned runs over 5 and two-third innings of work and also notched two strikeouts.
