University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia State
Carolina Takes Two At Day One Of Hokie Invitational
March 14, 2003 | Softball
March 14, 2003
SALEM, Va. - The University of North Carolina softball team extended its winning streak to six games with wins over Georgia State, 10-3, and Texas Tech, 2-1, this afternoon at the James Moyer Sports Complex. The Tar Heels scored four runs in the second inning of game one to cruise and got a brilliant pitching performance in game two by freshman Alison Yin (Glendale, Calif.). Yin threw a three-hitter, giving up one run and struck out two. UNC improves to 16-13 overall, while GSU falls to 6-15 and TTU moves to 12-21.
In the opening game of the tournament, the Tar Heels jumped ahead of Georgia State in the top of the first as freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) hit a double down the right field line to score senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) who reached on an error.
Georgia State answered in the bottom half of the inning with an unearned run as Meghan McCoy hit a double to right center to tie the score at 1-1. Carolina responded with four more runs in the second inning as juniors Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) and Dionne Streete hit back-to-back triples. Junior Jessica Graziano (Pearl River, N.Y.) squeezed in Streete on a bunt and freshman Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) singled in two more Tar Heels who reached on errors as the Heels led 5-1.
The Panthers put a run on the scoreboard with three singles to cut the Tar Heels lead to three, 5-2. UNC had an answer again as Welch led off the fifth inning with a triple and senior Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) drove her in to make the score 6-2. UNC's Streete hammered a ball off the left field fence after Price reached on an error and the Tar Heels grabbed their biggest lead of the game, 7-2.
Freshman Julia Bove (Charlotte, N.C.) singled in a run for UNC in the sixth inning to give the Tar Heels a six-run advantage, 8-2. Georgia State scored a run in the sixth inning as Emily Pritchett singled to right field as the Heels led 8-3.
Junior Jessica Robinson (Asheboro, N.C.) pinch hit in the seventh inning and hit a two-run homer as the Tar Heels defeated GSU 10-3.
Carolina scored 10 runs, on 11 hits and one error, while Georgia State score three runs, on five hits and three errors.
Cox (9-6) threw all seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, walking two and striking out seven.
Carolina scored the first run of the nightcap as Tolleson led off with a base hit and then stole second base. She advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a Texas Tech error as UNC led 1-0.
Yin took a perfect game into the fifth inning until Arlene Newton doubled to left center with two outs to give the Lady Raiders their first runner of the game. Yin shut the door with a strikeout as the Heels continued to lead Texas Tech 1-0.
Holden gave UNC some breathing room with a two-out double just inside the first base line to score Tolleson as the Tar Heels went to the sixth inning leading 2-0.
After a delay due to an illegal substitution, the Lady Raiders' Elyssa Sigala homered to left center to cut the Tar Heels lead to just one, 2-1. Yin smothered the remainder of the seventh inning striking out one Lady Raider and inducing a double play to end the game. She improves to 7-3 on the season.
Welch led the Tar Heels in both games going 2-for-4, with two RBIs. Streete ended the day 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs, while Holden finished 2-for-7 with a game-winning RBI in game two. Tolleson stole three bases on the day with two walks and one base hit.
Carolina scored two runs, on four hits and two errors, while Texas Tech scored one run, on three hits and two errors.
North Carolina will take on Coastal Carolina at 3 p.m. and host Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. tomorrow night. The Tar Heels will end the tournament against St. Bonaventure on Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m.
