University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida State
Tar Heels Fall To No. 16 Florida State
April 5, 2003 | Softball
April 5, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina softball team was swept this afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup by No. 16 Florida State, 1-0 and 4-0, at the UNC Softball Complex. The Tar Heels out-hit the 16th-ranked Seminoles in game one, 5-4, but were unable to push any runs across ending the game with seven runners left on base. In the nightcap, the Noles' Jessica van der Linden took a perfect game into the last inning before freshman Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) ended it with an infield base hit to ruin the no-hitter and perfect game as Carolina fell by four. UNC falls to 28-16, 0-2 ACC, while Florida State improves to 30-9, 4-0 ACC.
In the opener, the Tar Heels put runners on second base in the first and third inning but were unable to push a run across as the game went scoreless through three innings of play. The Seminoles led off the fourth inning with a Natasha Jacob double and advanced to third base on a passed ball. After a strikeout, FSU's Jessica van der Linden drove Jacob in on a sacrifice fly as the Noles scored an unearned run in the fourth to score the games only run.
UNC put runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings but left them stranded as they dropped the conference opener. FSU pitcher Casey Hunter threw all seven innings, striking out seven Tar Heels to improve to 19-5.
Freshman pitcher Crystal Cox (Harrisburg, N.C.) picked up the loss for Carolina, pitching all seven innings, giving up one run, no earned runs and struck out four in the ballgame. Cox falls to 16-8 on the season.
Carolina had no runs, on five hits and no errors, while FSU scored one run, on four hits and no errors.
Florida State jumped ahead of UNC in the nightcap with a bases loaded walk to score one run in the third inning. The Seminoles threatened in each of the next two innings but the Heels held FSU off the scoreboard as UNC trailed 1-0 in the sixth inning.
Florida State began the sixth with two consecutive walks as Cox was brought into the game for Carolina. The runners advanced to second and third with one out as Jacob sacrificed them over. Cox struck out the next hitter to record the second out of the inning. FSU's Tatiana George then doubled to left field to score two runs as UNC trailed by three.
The Seminoles struck again in the top of the seventh inning as Brandi Stuart led off with a home run to left field to advance the score to 4-0. UNC's Welch broke up van der Linden's no-hitter with an infield single to short stop in the final inning as van der Linden ended the game with a one-hitter.
Freshman pitcher Alison Yin (Glendale, Calif.) picked up the loss for the Tar Heels, throwing five innings, allowing four hits, three runs, two earned runs and struck out two. Yin falls to 12-4 on the season.
FSU's van der Linden ended the game allowing just one hit and struck out 13 Tar Heels to move to 10-4 on the year.
Carolina scored no runs, on one hit and two errors, while FSU scored four runs, on six hits and no errors.
Freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and senior Tiffany Tolleson (Winter Haven, Fla.) led the Tar Heels offensively in game one each tallying two hits.
Carolina will remain home for a non-conference doubleheader against Campbell, Wednesday, April 9 at the UNC Softball Complex. The matchup is scheduled for 3 p.m. All games at the Complex are free admission.
