University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, February 8
Auburn, Ala.
3 PM CT/4 PM ET
North Carolina
2-1
6
vs
5
Appalachian State
1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Carolina
1
2
2
0
0
0
1
6
11
3
App State
1
0
0
0
4
0
0
5
5
3
Softball Takes Both Games Saturday To Improve To 3-1
February 9, 2025 | Softball
AUBURN, Ala. – The Carolina softball team picked up two wins on Saturday against Appalachian State and Southern Illinois to move to 3-1 on the young season.
The first game started like the first two games of the season, Alex Coleman got on with an infield single and came around to score to give the Tar Heels a quick 1-0 lead.
After App State tied things up in the bottom half of the first, Rayna Blackwell drove in Reece Outlaw on an RBI groundout. Later in the inning Grace Jackson reached on a fielding error which plated Lexie Roberts to go up 3-1.
In the third inning, Carlie Myrtle sent a ball into orbit, going deep to left field for a two-run home run to make it a 5-1 ball game.
The Mountaineers fought back however, tying it up in the fifth.
Still tied going into the seventh, a little chaos on the base paths broke out. Coleman got on with a single to right. Kat Rodriguez came up to the plate and on an 0-1 count she sent a ball into right field. Coleman only made it to third when the throw from the outfield got away from the Mountaineers catcher and she was able to make it home for the go-ahead run.
Nikki Harris was able to shut things down to secure a gritty 6-5 win.
Thirty minutes later, the Kenna Raye Dark show began. Both pitchers came out firing as it was a pitcher's duel up until the fifth.
The Tar Heels were held without a hit until Grace Jackson snapped the no-hit bid with an infield single. Next batter Alex Coleman reached on a fielder's choice. Just like the last game, Kat Rodriguez brought her home, this time with a double to right field. Then it was Kiannah Pierce's turn to join the fun, she ripped a single up the middle to score Rodriguez. Sanaa Thompson gave Carolina a little more breathing room when she plated Outlaw who came in as a pinch runner to make it 3-0.
That breathing room wouldn't even be necessary for Dark, who was able to throw her second complete game shutout in as many starts this season. She went seven innings, allowing five hits, striking out five and keeping Southern Illinois off the board. The Saluki's were able to generate traffic, but it didn't phase the Mebane, N.C. native as they would end up leaving all 11 on base.
Through two starts this season, Kenna Raye Dark has a 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.
The Tar Heels would go on to win their second game of the day by a score of 3-0.
Carolina closes out the Tiger Invitational with a game against the hosts, Auburn at 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on SECN+.
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The first game started like the first two games of the season, Alex Coleman got on with an infield single and came around to score to give the Tar Heels a quick 1-0 lead.
After App State tied things up in the bottom half of the first, Rayna Blackwell drove in Reece Outlaw on an RBI groundout. Later in the inning Grace Jackson reached on a fielding error which plated Lexie Roberts to go up 3-1.
In the third inning, Carlie Myrtle sent a ball into orbit, going deep to left field for a two-run home run to make it a 5-1 ball game.
The Mountaineers fought back however, tying it up in the fifth.
Still tied going into the seventh, a little chaos on the base paths broke out. Coleman got on with a single to right. Kat Rodriguez came up to the plate and on an 0-1 count she sent a ball into right field. Coleman only made it to third when the throw from the outfield got away from the Mountaineers catcher and she was able to make it home for the go-ahead run.
Nikki Harris was able to shut things down to secure a gritty 6-5 win.
Thirty minutes later, the Kenna Raye Dark show began. Both pitchers came out firing as it was a pitcher's duel up until the fifth.
The Tar Heels were held without a hit until Grace Jackson snapped the no-hit bid with an infield single. Next batter Alex Coleman reached on a fielder's choice. Just like the last game, Kat Rodriguez brought her home, this time with a double to right field. Then it was Kiannah Pierce's turn to join the fun, she ripped a single up the middle to score Rodriguez. Sanaa Thompson gave Carolina a little more breathing room when she plated Outlaw who came in as a pinch runner to make it 3-0.
That breathing room wouldn't even be necessary for Dark, who was able to throw her second complete game shutout in as many starts this season. She went seven innings, allowing five hits, striking out five and keeping Southern Illinois off the board. The Saluki's were able to generate traffic, but it didn't phase the Mebane, N.C. native as they would end up leaving all 11 on base.
Through two starts this season, Kenna Raye Dark has a 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.
The Tar Heels would go on to win their second game of the day by a score of 3-0.
Carolina closes out the Tiger Invitational with a game against the hosts, Auburn at 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on SECN+.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dark, Kenna Raye (2-0)
L: Emma Gipson (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Kat Rodriguez 1
RBI: Kat Rodriguez 1 ; Pierce, Kiannah 1 ; Thompson, Sanaa 1
SH: Roberts, Lexie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jennings, Raegan 1 ; Kat Rodriguez 1 ; Outlaw, Reece 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
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