University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Harvard
Carolina Wins Three At Buzz Classic
March 22, 2003 | Softball
March 22, 2003
MARIETTA, Ga. -- The University of North Carolina softball team began the Buzz Classic with three victories today over Harvard, 10-3, Tennessee Tech, 6-1, and Mercer, 3-1, at the Al Bishop Softball Complex. The Tar Heels tied a season-high in game one with 13 hits and used some timely hitting in games two and three to extend their winning-streak to 11. UNC improves to 21-13 overall (3-0 Buzz Classic), while Harvard falls to 2-6, Tennessee Tech moves to 11-8 and Mercer falls to 17-12.
In the opening game of the tournament, freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) allowed one hit, no runs in five innings of work, striking out six and walking one to improve to 11-6 on the season.
The Tar Heels grabbed the first lead of the game against Harvard in the third inning with a RBI single by freshman Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.).
UNC struck again in the fourth inning scoring four runs to grab a 5-0 lead. Juniors Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) and Jessica Graziano (Pearl River, N.Y.) began with two doubles for the first run of the inning. Junior Natashalyn Snipes (Durham, N.C.) drove in the third run of the game and senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) doubled in the next and scored on an error as UNC took a 5-0 advantage.
Freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) started the fifth inning with a blast to left center as the Tar Heels led by six. The Crimson's Laura Miller snapped Cox's no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning with a base hit to center field. Harvard stranded the runner as Cox struck out two to end the inning.
Welch and senior Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) hit back-to-back home runs to extend the Carolina lead to nine. Price hit the third homer of the inning and fourth of the game to right-center field as the Tar Heels led 10-0.
Harvard got on the board in the sixth inning as Beth Sabin hit a three-run homer with two outs to score the final runs of the ballgame.
Carolina scored 10 runs, on 13 hits and no errors, while Harvard scored three runs, on four hits and one error.
Against Tennessee Tech, freshman Alison Yin (Glendale, Calif.) scattered six hits, allowing one earned run and striking out two to move to 9-3 on the year.
Welch homered in the bottom of the first inning for her second of the day as the Tar Heels jumped ahead 1-0. UNC added two more runs in the third inning as Porter singled in a run and Snipes scored on a double steal.
Tennessee Tech's Kacy Bennet broke through for the Golden Eagles with a solo home run as the Tar Heels lead was cut to two, 3-1. UNC responded with a run of its own in the fourth inning as Graziano drove in Holden who led off the inning with a double as the lead was pushed back to three, 4-1.
UNC added an insurance run in the sixth inning as freshman Michelle Hoffmann (Huntington Beach, Calif.) had a bunt single to score the fifth run of the game for the Tar Heels. Sophomore Ashley Allen (Houston, Texas) pinch hit for Tolleson and sent a double off the left field fence as UNC scored another run to take a 6-1 lead into the final inning.
Carolina scored six runs, on 10 hits and no errors, while Tennessee Tech scored one run, on five hits and no errors.
Price was a perfect 3-for-3 in game one with a home run and one RBI. Porter chipped in with a 3-for-4 performance and one RBI, while Tolleson went 2-for-3. Welch led the Tar Heels with three RBIs in game one ending 2-for-4 with a home run.
In the final game of the night versus Mercer, UNC took advantage of an error in the bottom of the first as Porter hit a sacrifice fly to score Welch from second base.
Carolina scored two more runs in the third inning as Porter hit a double to increase the lead to three. MU's Nikki Bowey broke up Cox's no-hitter in the fourth with a double to score an unearned run as the Heels led 3-1 heading to the fifth inning.
The Bears loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth inning but were unable to score as Cox tallied a strike out for the final out of the inning. Neither team managed any offense in the final inning of the game as UNC downed Mercer 3-1.
Carolina scored three runs, on three hits and one error, while Mercer scored one run, on two hits and two errors.
North Carolina will end the tournament versus Lipscomb at 1 p.m. tomorrow. The Tar Heels, Georgia Tech and Florida State all are undefeated at the tournament. The tournament champion will be decided by tiebreakers if each team wins there games tomorrow.
