University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida State
Tar Heels Split Two At No. 22 FSU
April 1, 2012 | Softball
April 1, 2012
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score | Follow UNC Softball Via Twitter | 2012 Softball Yearbook
TALLAHASEE, Fla.-- No. 22 Florida State broke open a tight game, scoring four runs in the sixth inning to put away No. 23 North Carolina, 8-3, in the opening game of the series Sunday afternoon at JoAnne Graf Field. UNC bounced back to drop the Seminoles, 4-2, in game two behind strong pitching from Ashley Bone and Lori Spingola. Jordan Scarboro, Paige Williams and Kelli Wheeler each tallied two hits in the victory.
The Tar Heels are now 23-9, 3-2 ACC after the doubleheader and the Seminoles are 32-6, 7-1. It was the first loss for Florida State in conference play and their first loss at home.
GAME ONE
The Seminoles threatened in the bottom of the first, putting runners on first and second base. Spingola responded by striking out Courtney Cenas to keep the game scoreless.
Jordan Scarboro put the Tar Heel on top, 1-0, with a home run over the left field fence to lead off the top of the third inning.
FSU answered with two runs on one hit and three Carolina errors to go up, 2-1, in the bottom half of the frame. The Seminoles loaded the bases with one out before Spingola struck out Brianna Hamilton for the second out of the inning. Spingola then struck out Senas swinging, but the pitch was wild and got away from Ally Blake, allowing two Florida State runners to come home.
Constance Orr evened the score at 2-2 with a home run to left field in the top of the fifth. Amber Parrish followed with a pinch-hit single to left field and Kelsey Green moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Kelli Wheeler then roped an RBI-triple down the right field line, pushing the Tar Heels back ahead, 3-2.
Florida State countered with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead, 4-3. Cenas evened the score at 3-3 with an RBI-single to fight center and the `Noles went ahead on an error by Carolina shortstop Paige Williams, who fumbled a hard grounder by Erika Leonard with the bases loaded.
Brianna Hamilton added three runs for the Seminoles with a bases-loaded triple off the center field wall, propelling FSU, 7-3. The `Noles tacked on another run on an error by Orr at first base, giving FSU an 8-3 advantage.
Carolina committed a season-high six errors in the loss, despite coming into the game leading the ACC in fielding percentage and ranking 14th nationally (.976). The six errors are also the second-most by a Carolina team in school history.
Spingola (17-7) went six innings for the Tar Heels, surrendering six hits, four earned runs, four walks and struck out six Seminole batters.
GAME TWO
The Tar Heels threatened in the top of the third, placing runners on first and second with two outs. Paige Williams lined a single to left field and Kelli Wheeler singled down the left field line, but FSU's Lacey Waldrop induced a groundout from Amy Nece to get out of the inning.
FSU challenged in the bottom half of the frame with runners on first and second and only one out. Shayla Jackson then hit a hard grounder up the middle and Amy Nece threw out the Seminoles lead runner at home. Bone then induced a groundout by Maddie Obrien for the third out.
The Seminoles finally plated a run in the bottom of the fourth as Erika Leonard knocked an RBI-single to right field to give FSU a 1-0 lead.
Wheeler led off the top of the fifth with a single to right field. Nece hit a grounder to Waldrop, who made a throwing error to first, allowing Wheeler to score. Foulks followed with an RBI-single up the middle to plate Nece and give the Tar Heels a 2-1 advantage.
Florida State's Brianna Hamilton hit a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom half of the frame, tying the score at 2-2.
Amber Parrish belted two out, two-run home run over the left center field fence, as the Tar Heels retook the lead, 4-2. It was the first home run of Parrish's collegiate career.
Bone tossed four strong innings for Carolina, scattering seven hits and giving up only one run, walking one and struck out one FSU batter.
Spingola came in to relieve Bone in the middle of the fifth, picking up the win to improve her record to 18-7 on the year. The sophomore from Atlanta, Ga., tossed three innings, giving up one run, one hit, two walks and notched three strikeouts.
Carolina and Florida State return to the field Monday night for the series finale at 7 p.m., which will air live on ESPNU.
