University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NC State
Carolina Falls On The Road To NC State 6-2
April 18, 2015 | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Tar Heels hit the ball well on Friday night at NC State, but could not put the runs they needed up on the board, falling to the Wolfpack 6-2 on the road.
The first three innings of play were all about the pitchers, as Emily Weiman of NC State fanned four batters while allowing two hits and Carolina's Kaylee Carlson struck out five, keeping the Wolfpack hitless.
State broke the game open in the fourth after Carlson walked two batters in a row with one out, and then threw an illegal pitch to put runners on second and third. Kristen Brown made a beautiful diving stop to prevent a Meredith Burroughs single up the middle, but a run still scored on the play to give the NCSU the lead. Maggie Hawkins knocked two-run shot off the scoreboard in right field the next at bat and the Tar Heels left the fourth trailing 3-0.
UNC answered in the fifth as Kati Causey singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Erin Satterfield replaced her to run the bases. Head Coach Donna J. Papa sent up pinch hitters Dani Garcielita and Lauren Walker who both moved Satterfield to put her on third base with two outs for Taylor Wike. The freshman picked up an RBI single to give North Carolina its first run, making it a 3-1 game.
The Tar Heels (31-11, 13-4) had a chance to take the lead in the sixth after Kristen Brown and Jenna Kelly each singled to put runners on first and second, but Kendra Lynch grounded into a 5-3 double play to end the inning.
NC State continued to push the envelope in the sixth after Tyler Ross and Maggie Hutchison each singled up the middle. Carlson later intentionally walked Hawkins to load the bases with two outs for Lana Van Dyken with two outs. Van Dyken would clear the bases with a triple down the right field line to extend the Wolfpack lead to five.
Carolina did not go down without a fight though as Causey doubled to start the inning. Darby Rosen singled up the middle the next at bat to score pinch runner Elly Wagner. After Tracy Chandless struck out swinging, Wike would walk to put two runners on for UNC but Aquilla Mateen and Kristen Brown would each be put away to end the contest.
The Tar Heels out-hit the Wolfpack 9-4. Kaylee Carlson had allowed just one hit going into the sixth inning, giving up four for the game while striking out seven.
The teams will conclude the ACC series tomorrow with a doubleheader. Games are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
