Carolina Splits Day Two of ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Saturday, February 17

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Noon

North Carolina

Wisconsin

Sierra Parkinson
University of North Carolina Softball v Illinois
Williams Field
Anderson Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, February 17, 2018

Sierra Parkinson went 4-for-9 with three RBIs on Saturday.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

February 17, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina logged 27 hits between two games on Saturday's ACC/Big Ten Challenge to top Wisconsin, 9-7 in game one, before falling to Illinois, 5-2 at Anderson Stadium.

Carolina (5-3) hit from top to bottom with seven Tar Heels recording multi-hit games in the game one, 9-7 win over Wisconsin (3-4) despite the Badgers late rally effort.

Logging nine hits, UNC's offensive attack continued in game two, but Illinois (3-5) came out on top for the 5-2 decision.

North Carolina 9, Wisconsin 7

Reaching base in every inning, the Tar Heels' 18 hits from each of their nine batters propelled the team to a win. Leadoff hitter Leah Murray and the sixth hitter Kiani Ramsey both went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring one and two runs, respectively. Megan Dray logged two extra-base hits for her first career home run and double, accounting for two RBIs. Sierra Parkinson and Berlynne Delamora each plated two for the Tar Heels.

Brittany Pickett picked up her second win, and four of the season, in 4.2 innings of relief after Katie Grace Olinger got the start.

The Tar Heels and Badgers traded hits until the third inning when the score jumped to 4-3, Carolina. Parkinson led off with a single up the middle before Pickett's double put runners in scoring position. On her first hit of the season, Delamora plated two with a hit to left. Dray cleared the bases with a gone-ball to left center for the fourth run of the inning. Wisconsin answered back on a pair of singles and Carolina miscue to load the bases. A sac-fly by Taylor Johnson and two-run double from Stephanie Lombardo made it a 4-3 game.

However, Carolina continued in the fourth by adding two more runs. Murray laced a leadoff single to right and stole second. Despite two outs, Pickett sent the ball to the warning track for an RBI-double. With two on, Ramsey dropped the ball just over second base for an RBI-single for a 6-3 lead after four.

Mirroring the previous two innings, UNC added insurance to the lead. Three straight singles by Campbell Hutcherson, Kristina Burkhardt and Murray loaded the bases for Parkinson who drove in two on an RBI-single. A sac-fly by Taylor Wike allowed Murray to score, finalizing the inning's scoring at three for a 9-3 lead. However, Wisconsin answered back with a solo-shot by Melanie Cross in the bottom of the frame.

After a scoreless inning and one out away from the win, Wisconsin's Cross sent a three-run home run to left field to make it, 9-7. Pickett came back to toss her fifth strikeout of the game and seal the win, while Mariah Watts took the loss.

Illinois 5, North Carolina 2

Despite multi-hit games from Katie Bailiff and Parkinson, Illinois came out on top in the rematch from Friday's game. Bailiff and Wike logged each logged an extra-base hit of a double and home run, respectively.

The attack started quick with both the Tar Heels and Fighting Illini scoring in the first inning. Wike launched a two-out home run to right for the early lead. However, Illinois answered back with an RBI-double by Rowan McGuire to right field to tie up the game.

Illinois momentum continued into the second inning, adding two more runs. After an RBI-walk, McGuire knocked in her second run in as many innings for a 3-1 lead.

After two scoreless innings, Hailey Cole singled to right then stole second. Murray knocked a single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Then Parkinson knocked in an RBI-single to left, cutting the deficit in half in the fifth. However, Illinois responded with a pair of runs to take a 5-2 lead on a walk and one-run single.

The Tar Heels continued to fight and loaded the bases in the sixth but could not capitalize. Parkinson nearly made it home in the final inning, but a double play ended it to finalize the decision.

Olinger took the loss in 1.0 inning while Pickett earned a no-decision with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Illinois' Emily Oestreich picked up the win and Taylor Edward got the save.

North Carolina wraps up the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Sunday at 12:30 p.m. vs. Wisconsin at Anderson Stadium.

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