University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Terps Eliminate Tar Heels 9-8 In Extra Innings At ACC Tournament
May 10, 2003 | Softball
May 10, 2003
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The University of North Carolina softball team was eliminated by Maryland this afternoon, 9-8, in eight innings in a seesaw battle at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament this afternoon. The Tar Heels relinquished a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second allowing six runs to the Terps to trail 6-5. UNC regained the lead in the fourth inning 7-6, but surrendered two more runs to UMD to trail for the second time. After taking its third lead of the game, UNC watched Maryland score two more runs to take a one-run advantage heading into the seventh. Junior Dionne Streete (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) tied the game with a blast in the final inning in regulation to send the game to extra innings where the Terrapins scored a run in the bottom half of the eighth after holding UNC off the board. Carolina ends the season with a record of 39-20-1, while UMD improves to 27-17.
UNC freshman Megan Welch (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) started the Tar Heel first inning with a single to left field. Senior Quinn Porter (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) put UNC on the board with a two-run blast to left center for her sixth home run of the season and first two RBIs of the ACC Tournament. Freshman Jaclyn Holden (Santa Clarita, Calif.) followed with a single up the middle to give the Tar Heels their third runner of the inning.
Junior Emily Price (Decatur, Ill.) walked for the third time in the tournament to put runners on first and second with one out. Streete then had an infield single to load the bases for UNC with one out. Freshman Michelle Hoffmann (Huntington Beach, Calif.) drove in her first run of the tourney with a ground ball to short stop which the Terps misplayed and UNC collected two more runs to take a 4-0 lead after a half inning of play.
The Tar Heels collected an unearned run in the second inning as Holden smacked her 24th double of the season off the left center field fence to score Tolleson who reached on an error and stole second base (two shy of tying NCAA record in career - 196).
UMD's Casey Leiter broke up freshman pitcher's Crystal Cox's (Harrisburg, N.C.) no-hitter on a loop single to right field to give the Terps runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the second. Maryland runners moved up a base on a passed ball to place them at second and third. Crystal Rizzuto then doubled into left center field to collect two Terrapins as UNC led 5-2.
UMD's Samantha Sweeney homered to right field to collect three more runs as the game was tied at five. UNC made a pitching change after a double by Maryland as freshman Alison Yin (Glendale, Calif.) entered the game in the bottom of the second with two outs and a runner on second base. The Terps grabbed the lead with a single to center field by Monica Cyphert as UNC trailed 6-5 after two.
Carolina regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning scoring two runs on four hits. Welch began the inning with a single to right field and scored on a double by Porter as the game was tied at six. Holden slid a ball inside the right field line for her second double and RBI of the game as UNC led by one, 7-6.
Maryland responded in the bottom of the inning with a walk and a single to put runners on first and second with no outs. Cyphert hit a ball off the top of the left field fence to tie the game and the Tar Heels converted a 9-6-2 play at the plate for the first out of the inning. Leiter then singled to left field and Cyphert was dead at the plate but the UNC catcher dropped the ball as UMD grabbed back the lead 8-7.
Each team had a hit in the fifth inning but were unable to score a run as the game advanced to sixth inning with Maryland leading 8-7. UMD brought Liz Gall into the game to pitch to start the sixth inning and try and save the game for the Terps.
The Tar Heels and Terrapins went down in order in the sixth inning and UNC came to its final at bat for the game down by one.
Price led off the seventh inning with a walk. The Terps ran a pick off play at first base and got Price out for the first out of the inning. Streete responded for the Heels with a blast to center field to tie the game at eight with one out in the seventh. Maryland brought Cyphert back in to pitch for the Terrapins who ended the inning with a fly out and a strikeout.
Yin allowed a walk in the bottom of the seventh, but held the Terps scoreless on three fly outs. Junior Natashalyn Snipes (Durham, N.C.) and Tolleson each reached base on Terp errors to start the eighth inning. UNC was unable to get the bunt down as the runners remained at first and second with one out. Porter then flied out to left field and Holden grounded out to short stop to end the Tar Heel threat.
Sweeney led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and stole second on an attempted pick off play at first by Carolina. Nneka Cardoza then drilled a base hit up the middle on a 1-2 count to score Sweeney and eliminate the Tar Heels from the ACC Tournament.
Carolina scored eight runs, on 12 hits and one error, while Maryland scored nine runs, on 11 hits and five errors.
Porter and Holden led the Tar Heels offensively. Porter ended 2-for-5, with a home run and three RBIs, while Holden finished 3-for-5, with two doubles and two RBIs. Streete went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI.
Yin (12-5) picked up the loss on the mound for UNC, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs and struck out three.
North Carolina will hope to receive an at-large bid from the NCAA committee on Sunday, May 11 at 10 p.m. on ESPN News.
