University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Tar Heels Rally Past Georgia Tech 3-1
April 17, 2003 | Softball
April 17, 2003
ATLANTA, Ga. - The University of North Carolina softball team rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to top Atlantic Coast Conference foe Georgia Tech, 3-1, at Glenn Field Stadium this afternoon. UNC junior Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) smacked the game-winning home run in the last inning with two outs to give the Tar Heels a two-run victory. Carolina improves to 32-16-1, 3-2 ACC, while Georgia Tech falls to 31-17, 3-2 ACC.
The opening game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's dual between freshman Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) and Georgia Tech's Jessica Sallinger and Erin Voeltz. Sallinger pitched the first two innings retiring all six Tar Heels and Voeltz entered the game in the third inning and shut Carolina down for four innings, allowing three hits.
Carolina loaded the bases in the fourth inning with two outs courtesy of three walks but did not score. The Yellow Jackets put runners on first and second with no outs before the game was delayed 23 minutes due to rain.
After the rain delay, Cox struck out two and recorded a force out at third base as the game remained scoreless. The Tar Heels threatened again in the fifth inning with runners at first and second with no outs, but popped up the sacrifice bunt and struck out as Georgia Tech came to bat in the fifth. Cox retired the Yellow Jackets in order in the fifth as the game moved to the sixth inning.
UNC stranded two more runners at second and third in the sixth inning as the Tar Heels and Yellow Jackets remained scoreless. Georgia Tech's Tara Knudsen ended the scoring drought with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Carolina trailed 1-0 heading into the seventh inning.
Sallinger re-entered the game for the Yellow Jackets to try and record a save. Senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Tolleson moved over to third base on a ground out to short stop. Freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) looped a base hit down the right field line to score Tolleson as the game was tied at 1-1. Junior Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) then gave the Tar Heels their first lead of the game with her third game-winning home run with a blast to left center as UNC downed the Ramblin Wreck 3-1.
Cox threw a complete-game two-hitter, allowing one run and struck out nine hitters. She improves to 20-8 on the season. Price led the Tar Heel bats, going 2-for-3, with a home run and two RBIs.
In the nightcap, Carolina picked up where they left off as freshman Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) homered to left center to give UNC a quick 1-0 lead. The game was then delayed for the second rain delay of the afternoon.
AFter the rain delay, Georgia Tech tied the game at one with a passed ball on no hits as the game headed to the second inning tied at one. The game was officially called in the bottom of the second inning.
North Carolina heads over to Athens, Ga. For the Georgia Invitational Friday, April 18-Sunday, April 20. The Tar Heels face Bethune-Cookman at Noon and Radford at 2 p.m. tomorrow. UNC then takes on No. 9/10 Georgia at 2 p.m. on Saturday to conclude pool play.
