North Carolina
Virginia
North Carolina Eliminates Virginia From ACC Softball Championship
May 11, 2002 | Softball
May 11, 2002
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Brandi Griffin and Shannon Walsh combined on a three-hitter as North Carolina eliminated Virginia, 2-1, in game six of the 2002 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championship at the Seminole Softball Complex.
North Carolina (33-29) will now play Florida State at 7 p.m. The winner of that contest will face Georgia Tech in the championship game tomorrow at 12 p.m. The Yellow Jackets advanced to the title game by defeating Florida State for the first time in an ACC Championship, 2-0, earlier in the day.
Griffin (4-2) earned the win in just her fourth start of the year. She went four innings, allowing just a double to Johanna Kaiser in the first inning. Griffin walked four and struck out two. Shannon Walsh took over to start the fifth inning. The senior allowed a run in the frame before closing out the game to earn her first save of the season and second of her career.
Virginia (45-22) was eliminated from the championship as Joanna Barstad (8-3) was the tough-luck loser for the Cavaliers. Pitching for the first time since April 16, she went the distance allowing seven hits. Kelly McCabe led the Cavaliers on offense with two hits and a run scored.
The Tar Heels got their runs in the second inning. Natalie Anter started the frame with a towering shot over the left centerfield wall. The home run was her 14th of the season, adding to her single-season and career school records. Kelly Ramsey followed with a double and was replaced by pinch runner Natashalyn Snipes. Snipes scored when Walsh singled her home with two outs.
The Cavaliers answered with a run on just one hit in the fifth. Walsh opened the inning striking out the first two batters she faced then gave up a slap single to Virginia shortstop Johanna Kaiser. Walsh then struggled with her control as she issued walk, hit a batter and walked Kristen Dennis to plate Kaiser and cut the lead in half. The walk for Dennis was her third of the game and sixth of the championship, a new record.
Live statistics and recaps of all the games at the 2002 ACC Softball Championship are available at www.theACC.com.
