University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Set To Host #6 Alabama, Georgia Southern
April 17, 2014 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heel softball team is set for a big weekend at home, hosting No. 6/7 Alabama for two games and Georgia Southern for a third contest at Anderson Stadium.
All three games will be streamed live on GoHeels TV, and there are quite a few fun promotions taking place to celebrate the Easter weekend with Carolina softball.
Admission Information:
• Admission is free for all UNC softball games. There are no tickets needed for this weekend.
• All seats are general admission.
• Anderson Stadium opens one hour prior to first pitch. On Friday, that will be 2:30 p.m. (prior to the Alabama - Georgia Southern game at 3:30), and on Saturday gates open at 11 a.m.
Follow the Games:
• UNC vs. Alabama (Game 1) - Friday, 6 p.m. - Live Stats | GoHeels TV
• UNC vs. Alabama (Game 2) - Saturday, noon - Live Stats | GoHeels TV
• UNC vs. Georgia Southern - Saturday, 2:30 p.m. - Live Stats | GoHeels TV
Promotions:
• Saturday is Carolina Kids Club Day.
• Kids can take the field with the Tar Heels prior to game one on Saturday.
• Autograph session with the Tar Heels after game two on Saturday.
• Easter egg hunt on the practice field (above Anderson Stadium) between Saturday's games.
• Appearances by the Easter Bunny and Rameses.
• Bounce house to play in.
Scouting the Matchups:
UNC is 0-7 all-time against Alabama and 2-0 vs. Georgia Southern. Carolina and Alabama last met in the 2011 ACC/SEC Easton Challenge in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where the Crimson Tide won 3-0 and 10-1. The Tar Heels last played the Eagles in their first game of the 2012 NCAA Athens Regional, when they won 2-1.
North Carolina: UNC is 22-22 (13-9 ACC) after dropping two games to James Madison on Wednesday. The Tar Heels the conference in home runs (54), ranks second in runs scored (241), RBIs (225), and is third in total bases (522).
Jenna Kelly and Kristen Brown lead the Tar Heels' offense along with Aquilla Mateen and Amber Parrish. Kelly (.354) has 34 RBIs and 30 runs with 46 hits, and Brown (.321) has a team-high 44 RBIs and 36 runs while tallying 45 hits. Mateen is a speedy base runner, stealing 16 of 21 bases this season, while also posting a team-high .385 batting average with 15 RBIs and 31 runs. Satterfield (.333) has 26 runs and is 4-5 in stolen bases. Lori Spingola is 16-11 with a .313 ERA while tallying 133 strikeouts in 158.2 innings of work.
No. 6/7 Alabama: After winning 11 straight, the Crimson Tide (37-8, 15-3 SEC) has dropped its past three games to Mississippi State this past weekend and No. 23 Auburn on Wednesday. Haylie McCleney (.480) leads the Tide with 34 RBIs, 53 runs and 60 hits, including eight homers for the year, while Kaila Hunt (.364) has 33 RBIs, 30 runs and a team-high 10 home runs, and Jadyn Spence (.342) leads with 35 RBIs in addition to tallying 27 runs and seven homers.
Alabama's strong pitching staff is led by Jaclyn Traina, who is 16-2 with a 1.60 ERA while notching 130 strikeouts in 131.1 innings. Leslie Jury (2.42 ERA) is 13-5, fanning 87 in 107 innings in the circle, and Sydney Traina (1.75 ERA) is 8-1 with 45 strikeouts in 52 innings.
Georgia Southern: The Eagles split a doubleheader with Jacksonville Wednesday night to move 30-14, 12-3 SoCon for the year. Kourtny Thomas (.372) has recorded 23 runs and 44 RBIs on 48 hits, including 13 home runs to lead Georgia Southern, and Shelby Morrill (.275) has 29 RBIs and 28 runs with six homer. Taylor Rogers has a team-high .390 batting average and is 13-13 in stolen bases, while Emily Snider (.254) is 10-10 on the base path while scoring a team-high 31 runs.
Sarah Purvis is 16-8 with a 1.75 ERA and 210 strikeouts in 156.1 innings, and Brooke Red is 12-4 with a 2.24 ERA while tallying 109 strikeouts in 103.1 innings.
