Softball Wins Slugfest Over NC State, 12-11

Friday, March 25

Chapel Hill

6:00 P.M.

North Carolina

17-13, 0

NC State

20-11, 0

NC State

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 25, 2022 | Softball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Behind 13 hits from nine different players, the Carolina softball team earned a 12-11 victory in the series-opener over NC State. The Tar Heels hit a season-best .448 at the plate, hitting five doubles, while striking out just once.

Kiannah Pierce had a career-night, with the sophomore outfielder going 3-of-4 at the plate with a game-high and new career-high four RBIs.

Freshman Lilli Backes (5-9) earned the victory in the circle, allowing just one hit in three innings of work.

How It Happened:

The Tar Heels trailed the Wolfpack 5-0 after the top of the third inning, with NC State recording a combined six hits that included a two-run home run between the second and third innings
Carolina cut into the lead in the bottom of the third, recording four hits, all doubles, off the bats of Destiny Middleton, Taylor Greene, Alex Brown and Pierce to make it 5-4
The Wolfpack were able to go back ahead 7-4 in the fourth, hitting a two-run home run, their second long ball of the night
The Tar Heels plated seven runs in the bottom of the fourth, with two walks, six hits and a three-run home run by Kianna Jones to take the lead, 11-8
NC State made it 11-all in the top of the fifth, plating four runs on four hits
An RBI base hit from Pierce gave the Heels the 12-11 victory in the bottom of the fifth

Notables:

Most runs in series history and most since April 16, 1977 (22 runs)
Fifth multi-hit game for Kianna Jones this season and second multi-hit game for freshman Alex Brown
It was the first time this season that Carolina has won a game where they trailed by five runs (was previously 0-7 in situation)
Carolina is now 10-4 when they do not make an error in a game

The Tar Heels will look to clinch the series over the Wolfpack on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Anderson Stadium.

Kristen Brown, Kat Rodriguez Named To Sports Illustrated All-Quarter-Century Team

Friday, August 08

Twelve From Softball Earn All-ACC Academic Honors

Thursday, July 10

Lilly Parrish Wins Florida Gulf Coast League MVP

Wednesday, July 09

Kiannah Pierce: I'm Not Done Yet

Thursday, June 05

Next Event

NC State

L, 8-15

Mar 26 (Sat)

2 P.M.

Box Score Recap Watch Live stats History

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Backes, Lilli (5-9)

L: Aisha Weixlmann (8-5)

NC State

Batting:

2B: Randi Farricker 1

HR: Randi Farricker 1 ; Michele Tarpey 1 ; Alaina Smith 1

RBI: Kaylee Lambrecht 2 ; Randi Farricker 2 ; Michele Tarpey 2 ; Libby Whittaker 1 ; Brittany Jackson 1 ; Alaina Smith 3

SH: Brittany Jackson 1 ; Alaina Smith 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Logan Morris 1 ; Randi Farricker 2 ; Michele Tarpey 1 ; Taylor Johnson 1 ; Sam Sack 1 ; Maddy Schmeiser 1 ; Libby Whittaker 1 ; Brittany Jackson 2 ; Alaina Smith 1

CS: Kaylee Lambrecht 1

North Carolina

Batting:

2B: Greene, Taylor 1 ; Pierce, Kiannah 1 ; Brown, Alex 1 ; Jones, Kianna 1 ; Middleton, Destiny 1

HR: Jones, Kianna 1

RBI: Brooks, Skyler 1 ; Jubas, Sara 1 ; Greene, Taylor 1 ; Pierce, Kiannah 4 ; Brown, Alex 2 ; Jones, Kianna 3

SH: Brooks, Skyler 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Stubbs, Bri 1 ; Brooks, Skyler 1 ; Jubas, Sara 2 ; Greene, Taylor 1 ; Jordan, Aneshia 1 ; Pierce, Kiannah 1 ; Snead, Carsyn 1 ; Brown, Alex 1 ; Jones, Kianna 1 ; Middleton, Destiny 2