University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Hampton
No. 21 Tar Heels Overpower Lady Pirates
April 19, 2012 | Softball
April 19, 2012
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score | Follow UNC Softball Via Twitter | 2012 Softball Yearbook
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- No. 21 North Carolina broke open a tie score in the bottom of the third inning, scoring 11 runs on nine hits, including five home runs and rolled to a 12-2 victory over Hampton University Thursday afternoon at Anderson Stadium. Trailing 4-0 in the third inning of game two, the Tar Heels scored 12 unanswered runs en route to a 12-4 win, sweeping the doubleheader with the Lady Pirates. The five home runs by UNC in the third inning of game one ties an NCAA record.
GAME ONE
Haleigh Dickey belted a RBI-double off the wall in left center field to give the Tar Heels an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
Jordan Scarboro drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the second inning and stole second base. Amy Nece singled to the pitcher, advancing Scarboro to third. Kelsey Green then grounded out, stranding both base runners.
Hampton catcher Shine Huwe evened the score at 1-1 with a solo home run to right center to lead off the top of the third frame.
The Tar Heel bats came alive in the bottom of the third to the tune of 11 runs on nine hits, including five home runs. Kelli Wheeler led off with a solo home run over the center field fence as the Tar Heels retook the lead, 2-1. Dickey later followed with a three-run home run down the right field line. Foulks then made it back-to-back home runs for UNC, blasting to center field, giving Carolina a five-run lead, 6-1. Constance Orr singled, Nece was hit by a pitch and Green drew a walk to load the bases. Megan Morrison pinch hit for Mahon and blasted a grand slam to right field. Dickey then blasted her second home run, a two-run shot, as the Tar Heels went ahead, 12-1.
The five home runs in one inning ties the NCAA record for most home runs in an inning and is only the sixth time it has ever been done. Oregon State was the last school to accomplish the feat, doing so against BYU Feb. 9, 2012.
Sara Buchholz came in to relieve Spingola in the top of the fourth and quickly surrendered a lead-off home run by Sharde' Estep, paring the Carolina advantage to 10 runs, 12-2. Buchholz settled down and found her groove, holding Hampton scoreless the rest of the way. The sophomore pitcher throw two innings of relief, surrendering one run and two hits and struck out three batters.
Spingola (24-8) was credited with the win, scattering two hits and one earned run over three innings as well as tallying five strikeouts to earn her 24th victory of the season.
The grand slam by Morrison in the third inning was the first of her career. The outfielder from Tucson, Ariz., now has two home runs in 2012 and three for her career.
Dickey finished with six RBI, leaving her one shy of the school record for RBI in a game and it is the third multiple-home run game of the junior's career. The two home runs by Dickey in the same inning also tied a school record. Cassie Palmer was the last Tar Heel to record two home runs in the same frame, doing so against Charlotte March 6, 2007.
The 12 runs are the most scored by the Tar Heels since putting up 16 runs against Longwood March 22, at Anderson Stadium.
GAME TWO
Margaret Wilkins lined an RBI-single through the left side and Shine Huwe later belted a three-run home run to right center field putting the Lady Pirates ahead, 4-0, in the top of the first inning.
Constance Orr drilled a one-out double to left center field in the bottom half of the second and Chelsey Butler came in to pinch run for her. Megan Morrison moved Butler to third base on a groundout to second base. Amy Nece struck out swinging, though, stranding Butler at third base.
Elisha Elliott and Kelli Wheeler each notched single to lead off the bottom of the third and Tisha Mahon laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Wheeler and Elliott to second and third base. Haleigh Dickey flew out to deep center field, scoring Elliott from third base to trim the Pirate lead to three, 4-1. Logan Foulks then drew a walk to load the bases for Orr, who blasted a home run over the fence in left center field as the Tar heels went ahead, 5-4.
Orr crushed a three-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning, increasing the Tar Heel advantage to four, 8-4. Amber Parrish followed with a base on balls and Nece single through the right side. Freshman Katie Causey pinch hit for Elliott and drove a two-RBI single up the middle. Wheeler then brought Causey home on a home run to center field, propelling Carolina to a 12-4 victory in five innings.
The grand slam in the bottom of the third frame was the first of Orr's career. The junior from Charlotte, N.C., is third on the team with seven home runs this season. Orr's second home run gave her a total of seven RBI, tying the school record for RBI in a single game. Megan Smith was the last Tar Heel to register seven RBI in a game, doing so against Marshall March 14, 1997.
The home run by Wheeler in the bottom of the fifth inning was the 35th of her career, breaking the school record for career home runs set by Natalie Anter (1999-2002).
Ashley Bone (6-1) picked up the win in the circle, hurling five innings, giving up five hits, four runs and one walk. The sophomore from Rocky Mount, N.C., also tallied four strikeouts in the win and has now won four consecutive starts. With the twinbill sweep, the Tar Heels improve to 11-0 in midweek contests and 11-1 at Anderson Stadium this season.
Carolina returns to action this weekend as they host ACC foe Georgia Tech in a three-game set April 21-22 at Anderson Stadium, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.
