University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 20 Tar Heels Cap Regular Season At Boston College
May 3, 2012 | Softball
May 3, 2012
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- No. 21 North Carolina (38-11, 11-3 ACC) concludes its regular season with a three-game set at Boston College (22-26, 2-16 ACC) May 5-6. The Tar Heels and Eagles will square off in a doubleheader Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday, at 12 p.m.
AT A GLANCE
Records: Carolina 38-11, 11-3 ACC, Boston College 22-26, 2-16 ACC.
Rankings: Carolina fell back one spot to No. 21 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll and is rated No. 20 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Boston College is unranked.
TV/Radio/Live Stats:
• You can follow the action against Boston College Game One live on GameTracker.
• You can follow the action against Boston College Game Two live on GameTracker.
• You can follow the action against Boston College Game Three live on GameTracker.
SCOUTING THE TEAMS: North Carolina has won 14 of its last 15 contests, including its most recent doubleheader sweep at Radford. Lori Spingola tossed a two-hit shutout and Haleigh Dickey and Jordan Scarboro each hit a home run to lead Carolina past Radford, 7-1, in the opening game of the doubleheader April 25. Amy Nece recorded her first career home run in game two, a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning, to power the Tar Heels to an 8-1 victory in game two.
Boston College is coming off of a road loss at Providence. Sophomore Bree Tanke batted .750 and drove in two runs and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, but the Eagles were defeated by providence, 7-6, with a walk-off single May 2 at Raymound Field. Brittany Wilkins recorded her first multiple RBI game of the year, going 2-for-4 at the plate, and Ali Lynette-Krech and Chelsea LoBue each touched home twice for the Eagles (23-27).
SERIES RECORDS: Carolina and Boston College have faced each other 22 times, with the Tar Heels owning a 20-2 advantage in the all-time series. UNC has won 17 straight contests against Boston College, dating back to April 4, 2006. The Tar Heels swept a doubleheader with the Eagles at home April 23, 2011, by scores of 4-0 and 6-2. Carolina also defeated Boston College, 9-0 (5) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament in Atlanta, Ga., May 13, 2011.
CLIMBING THE POLLS: The NCAA released the 2012 season's fifth Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) and the Tar Heels climbed two notches to No. 26, which marks the second highest rating in the Atlantic Coast Conference, trailing only Florida State (No. 16). UNC dropped two spots in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches' poll to No. 21 and is ranked No. 20 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
LIFE ON THE ROAD: After recently wrapping up an eight-game road swing, Carolina has posted an 11-4 ledger on the road to date, including its most recent twin bill sweep at Radford Wednesday, April 25. The Tar Heels also own a 6-3 road record in ACC play.
HOME COOKING:The Tar Heels boast an 13-1 record at home, with its lone loss coming to Notre Dame, 6-5, on Feb 25. Since then, Carolina has reeled off ten straight home victories, including its most recent back-to-back, twin bill sweep of Hampton University April 19, and Georgia Tech April 21. UNC also owns an 8-0 record at home in midweek tilts, dating back to a doubleheader sweep of Longwood 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 (.331) and is eighth in the conference in slugging percentage (.559) and is fourth in runs scored (37). Blake is also fourth on the team in doubles (8) and home runs (7).
SPREADING THE WEALTH: Five Tar Heels are batting .300 or better on the season: Amy Nece (.383), Kelli Wheeler (.331), Logan Foulks (.331), Ally Blake (.331) and Constance Orr (.330). Four Tar Heels also rank in the top-10 of the ACC in batting average: Nece leads the league with a .383 average, followed by Foulks (seventh/.331), Wheeler (eighth/.331) and Blake (ninth/.331).
POTENT TAR HEEL OFFENSE: Carolina boasts a potent offense, ranking 12th in the country in home runs per game at 1.18 clip and is 27th in runs per game with a 5.53 average. UNC also leads the ACC in batting average (.296), slugging percentage (.492), home runs (58), doubles (61), RBI (245) and runs scored (271). The Tar Heels are third in the league in on-base percentage (.372) and sacrifice bunts (43).
TAR HEELS DIG THE LONG BALL: Displaying power at the plate, eight Tar Heels have notched multiple home runs in 2012: Logan Foulks (11), Haleigh Dickey (11), Kelli Wheeler (10), Constance Orr (8), Ally Blake (7), Jordan Scarboro (4), Jenna Kelly (3) and Megan Morrison (2).
PLAYING THE FIELD: Carolina is also stout defensively, ranking fourth in the conference in fielding percentage (0.966). Moreover, UNC owns the second-lowest ERA in the ACC (2.22), which also ranks 41st in the nation. The Carolina pitching staff and defense is holding opponents to a .208 batting average, the second best mark in the conference.
IN THE ZONE: With two victories in the circle at Radford April 25, Lori Spingola broke the Carolina single-season record for wins, she now has 28 and counting. Spingola is tied for third in the country in total victories (28), is seventh in the nation in strikeouts with 279, is second nationally with 12 shutouts and is 18th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.0). The sophomore pitcher has been named ACC Pitcher of the Week four times in 2012 and eight times in her career.
CAREER DAY: Kelli Wheeler hit a home run--the 35th of her career--over the fence in center field in the bottom of the fifth inning against Hampton University April 19, breaking 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 (.331)and leads the team with a .452 on-base percentage and is third on the team in slugging percentage (.628). Wheeler also leads the team in runs scored (40), total hits (48), total bases (91) and walks (27). 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 .390 batting average. Nece is also second on the team in multiple-hit games (10) and is second in on-base percentage (.429) and is second in the ACC in sacrifice hits with nine. Nece recorded her first career home run in the game two victory at Radford April 25, with a grand slam over the wall in right field in the top of the six inning.
