Pickett, Licea Homer in Series Opener Loss Against Pitt

Friday, April 16

Pittsburgh, Pa.

5 PM

North Carolina

12-16, 8-10

Pittsburgh

11-25, 6-20

North Carolina

Pittsburgh

April 16, 2021 | Softball

Box Score NC27 UP Box Score

PITTSBURGH, P.A. –
Despite the tying run on base in the top of the seventh, North Carolina could not complete the comeback over Pittsburgh at Vartabedian Field, dropping the first game in the series 7-6.

A close game throughout, both teams racked up nine hits across seven innings.

The Tar Heels opened the game with a Kiersten Licea home run over the fence in right, garnering an RBI from Kiannah Pierce to take the lead. Pitt answered to tie it up at the end of the first, but a long Brittany Pickett home run put Carolina back on top.

Pitt would not go down easy, scoring four in the bottom of the second and holding that lead until the Tar Heels rallied. Coming into the game in the bottom of the second, Katie Grace Olinger mowed down the next seven consecutive batters.

By the top of the fifth, Carolina scored two more, evening the score at 6, but did not finish with the victory by the end of the game.

The Tar Heels drop a game for a 12-16 overall record, 8-10 in ACC play, while Pittsburgh improves to 11-25 with a 6-20 record in league play The series continues with a doubleheader at Vartabedian Field Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

Game Breakdown:
» A double by Kiannah Pierce to left center marked the first hit for the Heels to open the game, followed by a home run by Kiersten Licea for a 2-0 lead.
» The Pitt Panthers answer, scoring two in the bottom of the first, started with a Batesole double.
» Brittany Pickett hit her fifth home run of the season—a long line drive over the right field fence for the home run to take the lead.
» A flurry of scoring for the Panthers, led by a Seamans homer to drive up the score to 6-3.
» Taylor Greene doubled down line for an RBI from Kiannah Pierce to bring the score to 6-4, but leaves the bases loaded at the end of the Heels' at bat.
» Katie Grace Olinger replaced Gaby Katz in the bottom of the second, and proceeded to get seven consecutive outs to move the game along, including a strikeout in the bottom of the fourth to end her perfect inning.
» The top of the sixth saw a Tar Heel rally with a Kiannah Pierce single and a Kiersten Burkhardt single. A throwing error from the Panthers scored Pierce, and another error scored Burkhardt to tie the game.
» Pitt took the lead at the bottom of fifth on a throwing error that scored Seamans.
»Kiersten Licea hit a single with two outs in the top of the seventh, but was not brought home to tie the game with Pitt winning 7-6.
» Winning Pitcher: Brittany Knight (2-8) // Losing Pitcher: Katie Grace Olinger (1-5)

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