University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
0-3
Illinois
3-0
Tar Heels Capture First Victory, 4-1, Over Cal
February 11, 2017 | Softball
GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO – North Carolina shook off a tough start to the day—a 13-0 loss to Illinois—to put together a fantastic performance in the nightcap, taking down California, 4-1. The win marked the first of the season for UNC (1-3) while handing the Golden Bears (3-1) their first loss. Illinois improved to 3-0 after the morning victory.
Freshman Brittany Pickett led the Tar Heels on the day, going 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate while tossing a complete game from the circle against Cal. Addtionally, Berlynne Delamora, Kristina Burkhardt, Leah Murray and Taylor Wike all started both games and had two hits on the day.
The Tar Heels close out the Puerto Rico DI Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 12, with a nonconference matchup against ACC foe Georgia Tech. First pitch is slated for 8 a.m. ET.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
| Illinois | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Illinois' offense struck early and often, taking the Tar Heels for 13 runs to defeat Carolina, 13-0, in five innings. Junior Annie Fleming led the Illini at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs to help lead U of I to their third straight victory.
Carolina was limited to three hits in the game, as Erin Sugg, Leah Murray and Kristina Burkhardt all singled, and Berlynne Delamora drew the team's lone walk. The Tar Heels had opportunities to score late in the game, but couldn't come up with the necessary timely hits, leaving five runners on base over the third and fourth innings.
Kellyn Daly (0-1) made her first career appearance in the circle, but left with two outs in the top of the first after allowing seven runs on four hits and two walks. Fellow freshman Hannah Nommensen tossed the remaining four-and-a-third innings, surrendering six runs on 10 hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Taylor Edwards (2-0) started for the Illini, limiting Carolina to two hits over three innings. Erin Walker gave up a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in the fourth, and Kate Giddens closed out the combined shutout with a perfect bottom of the fifth.
The Illini attacked early, using five hits and two walks to put up seven runs in the top of the first. Thirteen Illini came to the plate in the frame, including two hits, a run and an RBI by Fleming.
Illinois added another run in the top of the second, as Stephanie Abello walked, then pinch runner Sam Acosta stole second. She moved to third on a ground out, and Veronica Ruelius drove her home with a pinch-hit RBI single.
Fleming led off the third with a solo home run, then doubles by Nicole Evans and Kiana Sherlund made it 11-0.
The Tar Heels had a chance in the bottom of the third, as hits by Sugg and Murray loaded the bases with two outs. Wike followed with a grounder off the pitcher's glove, but the second baseman fielded the deflection and made the throw to first just in time to get Wike and strand three.
A pair of doubles in the top of the fourth made it 12-0 Illinois, as Fleming collected her fourth hit of the game, driving in Maddi Doane with a gapper to left center.
Carolina squandered another scoring opportunity in the bottom of fourth, leaving runners in scoring position. Delamora led off with a walk, and Burkhardt singled up the middle then stole second. However, Erin Walker struck out the next two Tar Heels to end the inning and preserve the shutout.
After a solo home run made it 13-0 in the top of the fifth, Kate Giddens shut down the Tar Heels 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth to seal up the run-rule victory for the Illini.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| North Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| California | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
Carolina moved from PR National Stadium to Estadio Donna Terry for the second game of the day, wiping the slate clean for the night cap against California. The Tar Heels got on the board quickly in the top of the first and limited the Golden Bears—ranked No. 24 in the ESPN.com poll—to just a single run to close out their first victory of the season, 4-1.
Brittany Pickett turned in a solid all-around effort, driving in as many runs at the plate as she allowed from the circle. The true freshman went 2-for-3 with an RBI while allowing one run on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in a full seven-inning outing to capture a win in her first career decision.
Taylor Wike and Berlynne Delamora both collected two hits and an RBI in the game as well, including a run-scoring double by Delamora in the top of the first. Kristina Burkhardt singled and scored the go-ahead run in the top of the second, driven in from a sac fly by Katie Bailiff.
Zoe Conley (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season, going the distance for California but allowing three earned runs on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
Taylor Wike got the Tar Heels going in the top of the first with a two-out single up the middle. She stole second, then Delamora crushed an RBI double to deep right center, driving in Wike for the first run of the game.
The Golden Bears tied the score in the bottom of the first, as Kobie Pettis followed a two-out walk to Jazmyn Jackson with an RBI double to the wall in right center.
Carolina took back the lead in the top of the second, as Burkhardt led off with a single through the left side. She took second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch, then Katie Bailiff sent her home with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Tar Heels added an insurance run in the top of the fifth, as Shifflett led off with her first career double to left center. Pinch runner Hailey Cole took third on a wild pitch, then Wike drove her home with a single that dropped in to shallow center field. As the ball got away from the diving center fielder, Wike tried to stretch it to a double, but second baseman Kylie Reed read the bounce and threw her out at second to end the inning.
A leadoff single by Delamora produced another Tar Heel run in the top of the sixth. Pinch runner Brittany West stole second and advanced to third on a ground out, then Pickett came through with a two-out RBI single to left to make it 4-1 Carolina.
Cal brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh, with singles by Taurie Pogue and Alleah Laxamana. Vanessa Alvarez grounded to Wike at short who got the lead runner at third for the second out. Reed seemingly ended it with another grounder to short, but Wike misread the ball and couldn't make the play, loading the bases. Unfazed, Pickett ended the game on the next pitch, getting Krysten McCue to ground out to Shifflett at first to close out her first career complete game victory.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Taylor Edwards (2-0)
L: Daly, Kellyn (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Annie Fleming 1 ; Nicole Evans 1 ; Kiana Sherlund 1 ; Maddi Doane 1
HR: Annie Fleming 1 ; Stephanie Abello 1
RBI: Alyssa Gunther 1 ; Annie Fleming 3 ; Nicole Evans 2 ; Ruby Rivera 1 ; Stephanie Abello 1 ; Kiana Sherlund 2 ; Veronica Ruelius 1 ; Maddi Doane 1
SH: Stephanie Abello 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alyssa Gunther 1 ; Annie Fleming 2 ; Nicole Evans 2 ; Ruby Rivera 1 ; Emily Brodner 2 ; Stephanie Abello 1 ; Sam Acosta 1 ; Kiana Sherlund 1 ; Maddi Doane 2
SB: Sam Acosta 1 ; Kiana Sherlund 1
HBP: Nicole Evans 1 ; Emily Brodner 1
Base Running:
SB: Burkhardt, Kristina 1
CS: West, Brittany 1
HBP: DeBerry, Destiny 1 ; Delamora, Berlynne 1
