Tar Heels Walk Off On Tigers In Extras

Friday, February 24

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5:00 PM

North Carolina

8-4

Towson

4-6

Towson

North Carolina

February 25, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletic Communications

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Towson	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0	0	5	10	2
North Carolina	0	0	3	0	1	0	1	0	1	6	13	1

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina surrendered a three-run lead in the top of the seventh, but the Tar Heels never gave in, coming back to defeat Towson, 6-5, in nine innings. Senior Kendra Lynch tossed seven-and-two-thirds innings of shutout ball, while reaching base all five times, including a bases-clearing double, and scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

The Tar Heels put together a season-high 13 hits in the game, led by pitchers Kendra Lynch and Brittany Pickett with three hits apiece. The senior starter went 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, a hit by pitch, three RBIs and the game-winning run, while Pickett was 3-for-4 with a double, a hit by pitch and an RBI. Taylor Wike, Katelyn Shifflett and Hailey Cole each went 2-for-4, and Cole added the game-winning RBI with a ninth-inning sacrifice fly. Berlynne Delamora had the remaining Tar Heel hit, a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the seventh.

Lynch got the start for Carolina and limited the Tigers to four hits and a walk over five shutout innings. Pickett came in to start the sixth, but struggled, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits over an inning and a third. Lynch returned to the circle with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh. The Indianapolis native did not allow a base runner over the next two and two-thirds innings, except for a two-out error that allowed two inherited runners to score and give Towson the lead. Lynch finished the night with a total of 7.2 shutout innings pitched, improving to 3-1 on the season.

Megan Dejter pitched the first seven innings for Towson, allowing five runs, four earned, on 12 hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Julia Smith-Harrington (3-3) took over with a runner on second in the top of the eighth and allowed just a single hit but three walks and a hit batter led to the game-winning run, as she took her third loss of the season.

Tigers Madison Wilson and Daria Edwards both went 3-for-5 and combined for three of the Tigers' five runs.

The Tar Heels had four hits in the bottom of the second but were unable to score. Lynch led off with a single through the left side but pinch runner Micaela Abbatine was thrown out stealing second. Shifflett started a two-out rally with the first of three straight singles, but Dejter drew a fly out to get out of the jam and keep UNC off the board.

Carolina loaded the bases once again in the bottom of the third, but this time the Heels capitalized as Lynch crushed a bases-clearing double to the warning track in left to send Leah Murray, Wike and Brittany West across the plate and take a 3-0 lead.

The Tar Heels added a run in the bottom of the fifth with three singles from the heart of the order. Lynch got it started with her third hit of the game. Shifflett followed with her second, then Pickett drove in pinch runner Brooke Burns with a single to left.

Pickett came in to pitch in the top of the sixth but surrendered hits to the first two batters, including an RBI double to Holiday Cahill. The rookie hurler settled down to get the next three straight, including two strikeouts, to keep UNC on top, 4-1.

The Tigers put together four straight singles with one out in the seventh, as Kendyl Scott scored and chased Pickett from the circle. Lynch returned with the bases loaded and one out. She got the next batter to ground out for the second out but cut the lead to one. Brook Miko then grounded to the right side; Campbell Hutcherson tried to backhand it but could not make the play as two runs scored, giving Towson a 5-4 lead.

Delamora tied the score with one swing in the bottom of the seventh, leading off with a solo home run to straightaway center. Lynch was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, but Shifflett hit into an unlucky double play to end the inning and send the game to extras.

After a perfect top of the eighth, Pickett led off the bottom half with a double to center. Cole followed with an infield single and took second on defensive indifference to put runners in scoring position with nobody out, but UNC was unable to get the job done, as a pair of shallow fly outs kept Pickett in place, and Delamora lined out to center to end the inning.

Lynch pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth, then drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the inning. Erin Sugg got the bunt down to move her into scoring position, then Shifflett walked. Pickett was hit by a pitch, putting the go-ahead run on third, and Cole came through with a sacrifice fly to left, sending Lynch across the plate for a walk-off 6-5 victory.

The Tar Heels return to Anderson Stadium on Saturday for day two of the Carolina Classic. After a pair of neutral games, UNC hits the field at 3:30 p.m. to face Miami (Ohio). The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.