University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 21 Carolina Welcomes Lady Pirates
April 17, 2012 | Softball
April 17, 2012
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- Winners of eight straight contests, No. 21 North Carolina is set to welcome Hampton University (17-14, 5-4 MEAC) for a doubleheader Thursday, beginning at 3 p.m. from Anderson Stadium. The Tar Heels are 9-0 in midweek contests in 2012 and is coming off a series sweep of NC State April 14-15.
AT A GLANCE
Records: Carolina 32-10, 9-3 ACC, Hampton (17-24, 5-4 MEAC).
Rankings: Carolina ascended three spots in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll to No. 21 as well as in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll to No. 21. Hampton is unranked.
TV/Radio/Live Stats:
• You can follow the action against Hampton Game One live on GameTracker.
• You can follow the action against Hampton Game Two live on GameTracker.
SCOUTING THE TEAMS: North Carolina has won eight straight games and 10 of its last 12, including a series sweep of NC State at home April 14-15. The Tar Heels run-ruled the Wolfpack, 8-0 (5) in the series opener and shut out the Pack in game two, 5-0. Lori Spingola (23-8) pitched a one-hit shutout in game one and Ashley Bone (5-1) followed with a six-hit shutout in game two of the twinbill. Spingola then tossed 10 innings in the series' finale, allowing one two runs, and striking out eight en route to her 23rd win of the season. Ally Blake came through with the late-game heroics, hitting a one-out, solo home run over the fence in center field in the bottom of the 10th frame to give the Tar Heels the walk-off, 3-2 victory and complete the series sweep of State.
Hampton is riding a four-game win streak, including a three-game sweep of rival Howard April 14-15, highlighted by a 10-2 (5)victory in the series' finale. Freshman Jailynn Jackson struck out five hitters and scattered three hits in five innings of work to record her 10th win and 17th complete game of the season. Margaret Wilkins paced the Lady Pirates offensively, going 3-for-3 and driving in three runs. Carla Trimble, Adrianna Scott and Brooke Boykin each added two hits apiece.
SERIES RECORDS: This will mark the first-ever meeting between Carolina and Hampton University.
CLIMBING THE POLLS: The NCAA released the 2012 season's fourth Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) and the Tar Heels are rated No. 28, which marks the third-highest rating in the Atlantic Coast Conference, trailing only Florida State (No. 15) and Georgia Tech (No. 25). UNC ascended three spots in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll to No. 21 as well as in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll to No. 21. Carolina's No. 21 ranking is the highest of any school in the ACC and marks the highest the Tar Heels have been ranked since 2009.
LIFE ON THE ROAD: After recently wrapping up an eight-game road swing, Carolina has posted a 9-3 ledger on the road to date, including its most recent twinbill sweep at UNC Greensboro Wednesday, April 11. The Tar Heels also own a 6-3 road record in ACC play.
HOME COOKING:The Tar Heels boast a 9-1 record at home, with its lone loss coming to Notre Dame, 6-5, on Feb 25. Since then, Carolina has reeled off eight straight home victories, including its most recent three-game sweep of NC State April 14-15. UNC also owns a 6-0 record at home in midweek tilts, dating back to a twinbill sweep of Longwood on March. 22.
JACK OF ALL TRADES: Ally Blake has started at four different positions in the Tar Heel lineup, appearing as catcher, second baseman, shortstop and the designated player. The senior from Concord, N.C., is ninth in the ACC in batting average (.330) and is eighth in the conference in slugging percentage (.560) and runs scored (28). Blake has put together a nine-game hitting streak, dating back to April 2 at Florida State and went 2-for-5 in her last outing, including a walk-off, solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning against NC State April 15.
BAD TO THE BONE: Ashley Bone has been on a tear of late, winning her last three starts and tossing back-to-back shutouts in her last two outings. The native of Rocky Mount, N.C., threw a four-hit shutout at UNC Greensboro April 11, walking two batters and striking out four in the complete-game effort. The sophomore pitcher followed that up with a six-hit shutout of NC State at home April 14, striking out three batters and walking none in seven innings of work. Bone leads the ACC with only one home run allowed in 2012 and is second in the conference in hits allowed (61), runs allowed (21), earned runs allowed (18) and walks allowed (22).
SPREADING THE WEALTH: Five Tar Heels are batting .300 or better on the season: Amy Nece (.380), Logan Foulks (.342), Ally Blake (.330), Kelli Wheeler (.328), and Constance Orr (.300). Four Tar Heels also rank in the top-10 of the ACC in batting average: Nece leads the league with a .380 average, followed by Foulks (sixth/.342), Blake (ninth/.330) and Wheeler (10th/.328).
POTENT TAR HEEL OFFENSE: Carolina boasts a potent offense, ranking 29th in the country in home runs per game at 0.98 clip and is 46th in runs per game with a 5.17 average. UNC also leads the ACC in batting average (.287), slugging percentage (.457), home runs (41), and doubles (52). The Tar Heels are second in the league in total bases (487), are third in sacrifice bunts (36) and third in RBI (193).
TAR HEELS DIG THE LONG BALL: Displaying power at the plate, seven Tar Heels have notched double-digit home runs in 2012: Logan Foulks (8), Kelli Wheeler (7), Haleigh Dickey (7), Ally Blake (6), Constance Orr (5), Jordan Scarboro (3) and Jenna Kelly (3).
PLAYING THE FIELD: Carolina is also stout defensively, ranking second in the conference and 34th nationally in fielding percentage (0.970). Moreover, UNC owns the second-lowest ERA in the ACC (2.07), which also ranks 30th in the nation. The Carolina pitching staff and defense is holding opponents to a .211 batting average, the second-best mark in the conference.
IN THE ZONE: Lori Spingola was just named ACC Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week and fourth time in 2012--eighth time in her career--following a 3-0 week. Spingola picked up a 11-0 win at UNC Greensboro April 11 and two more victories at home against conference foe NC State. The Atlanta, Ga., sophomore threw a total of 20.0 innings, surrendering only one earned run and struck out 25, going the distance in all three contests. In the series finale against NC State on Sunday, April 15, she pitched all ten innings as the Tar heels picked up a 3-2 walk-off victory. The sophomore pitcher improved to 23-8 with a 1.87 ERA to go along with a conference-leading 235 strikeouts. Spingola is tied for third in the country in total victories (23), is seventh in the nation in strikeouts with 235, is second nationally with 12 shutouts and is 18th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.0).
CLOSING IN ON GREATNESS: Kelli Wheeler belted her seventh home run of 2012 in the Tar Heels' game-two victory at UNC Greensboro April 11, leaving her just one shy of tying the school record for career home runs (34), set by Natalie Anter between 1999-2002. The Marietta, Ga., native is turning in a stellar senior season, as she ranks second on the team in batting average (.342)and leads the team in both slugging percentage (.615) and on-base percentage (.446). Wheeler also leads the team in runs scored (31), total hits (40), total bases (72) and walks (19). The senior outfielder also owns the highest career slugging percentage (.617), the third-best on-base percentage (.436) and the sixth-highest career batting average in school history (.327),
BREAKING OUT: Amy Nece is having a breakout sophomore campaign for Carolina. The centerfielder from Redlands, Calif., leads the Tar Heels and the league with a .380 batting average. Nece is also second on the team in multiple-hit games (9) and is second in on-base percentage (.415) and is ranked sixth in the ACC in sacrifice hits with seven.
