University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Chattanooga
UNC Softball Sweeps Chattanooga
March 27, 2002 | Softball
March 27, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--The University of North Carolina softball team swept both games of Wednesday's doubleheader against visiting Tennessee-Chattanooga, winning 4-2 and 9-7 to improve to 21-15 on the season. Both times, UNC came back from an early deficit and pulled ahead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With the wins, Carolina is 4-0 at home this season heading into Saturday's doubleheader with Coastal Carolina at the UNC Softball Complex. Action begins at 4 p.m.
In the first game Wednesday afternoon , Chattanooga (20-10) went up 2-0 with runs in the first and second innings before the Tar Heels got on the board. UNC scored in the bottom of the second when sophomore Natashalyn Snipes, pinch running for Kelly Ramsey, came home on an error. The Tar Heels tied the score in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Natalie Anter singled to left and Lauren Parker came in to run for her. Parker moved to second on a walk and to third on a wild pitch before coming home on an RBI single by pinch hitter Ashley Allen.
UNC broke the 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Jessica Young led off the inning with a home run, her second of the season. The next batter, sophomore Emily Price, reached base on an error and eventually scored on another error.
Senior pitcher Shannon Walsh earned the first win for UNC, allowing eight hits and striking out five to improve to 9-7. Senior Beth Alexander took the loss for UTC.
In the second game, the Lady Mocs again jumped out early, this time leading 6-1 after two innings. UTC scored three runs in the first inning on RBI singles by junior Jada Pescutore, senior Tara Garner and sophomore Grace Pickett. North Carolina got one in the bottom of the inning, when junior Tiffany Tolleson reached base on a bunt single and eventually scored on a ground-out by senior Natalie Anter. In the top of the second, Chattanooga senior Jill Crawford hit a three-run homer, her fourth of the season, to put her team up by five runs.
UNC worked its way back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the third, two on errors and one on a sacrifice fly by Young. UTC then added another run in the top of the sixth to stretch its lead to 7-4. Freshman Melissa Ramirez reached base on a fielder's choice, advanced on a pair of singles and scored on an RBI single by sophomore Jolene Martin.
Once again, North Carolina put together a big sixth inning, scoring five runs on five hits to take the lead for good. Freshman pitcher Erica Ennis, who had replaced starter Ashley Allen on the mound in the second inning, led off with the first double of her career. Price followed that with a single, then pitch hitter Anna Tharrington singled to score Ennis. After Alexander relieved UTC starting pitcher Awbrey Winckler, Tolleson walked and senior Rosie Gustavson hit a two-RBI single. Junior Quinn Porter then doubled to score Tolleson and Gustavson.
Ennis pitched five and a third innings to earn the win for UNC and improve to 3-4. Alexander took the loss for UTC, falling to 13-4.
North Carolina 4, Tennessee-Chattanooga 2
UTC 110 000 0 -- 2 8 3
UNC 010 102 X -- 4 6 1
Win: Shannong Walsh (9-7), Loss: Beth Alexander (13-3)
North Carolina 9, Tennessee-Chattanooga 7
UTC 330 001 0 -- 7 13 2
UNC 103 005 X -- 9 9 2
Win: Erica Ennis (3-4), Loss: Beth Alexander (13-4)
