University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Tar Heels Mount 3-Run Seventh Inning Rally to Top No. 22 Georgia Tech in Doubleheader Nightcap
April 18, 2004 | Softball
April 18, 2004
Game One Box Score Game Two Box Score
Chapel Hill, N.C. - Freshman catcher Theresa Nicholas singled in the game winning run as the Tar Heels mounted a three-run seventh inning rally to topple No. 22 Georgia Tech 3-2 in the nightcap of Sunday's Doubleheader at the UNC Softball Complex. Georgia Tech won game one 2-1 as the teams split the series. UNC moves to 38-16 and 6-2 in the ACC, while Georgia Tech goes to 37-13 and 3-5 in the ACC.
"I'm naming the team the 'Heart Attack Heels' because that is what we are this season," said UNC head coach Donna J. Papa. "We have had so many seventh inning comebacks, but it is good because we have been in that situation before and we have the confidence that we can win."
In the nightcap, UNC fell behind 1-0 in the second inning, as the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no outs, but could only manage one run, as Amy Hosier scored off a fielder's choice. Georgia Tech scored again in the fourth inning as Kirin Kumar hit a single to left field, scoring Tasha Waugh.
UNC entered the bottom of the seventh inning down 2-0, but freshman Marissa May led off the inning with a bunt single and then advanced to second on a throwing error. After a foul out by senior Dionne Streete, fellow senior Natashalyn Snipes bunt singled to advance May to third base.
Junior Jessica Young followed with RBI single to left, scoring May to close the gap to one run. Georgia Tech then intentionally walked UNC's leading hitter, senior Emily Price. Senior Jessica Graziano came up with the bases loaded and got hit by a pitch, advancing Snipes to home plate and tying the game at 2.
UNC wasn't finished yet though, as Theresa Nicholas came up with the game-winning hit, a single to left field, scoring pinch-runner Anna Evans.
Sophomore Alison Yin got the win and improved to 15-6 on the season. Yin pitched a complete game and allowed one earned run on eight hits and two walks.
In the first game of the day, Georgia Tech's Jessica Sallinger pitched a complete game, giving up no earned runs and striking out nine batters as the Jackets won 2-1.
Georgia Tech went on top 1-0 in the second inning, but the Tar Heels rallied back to tie the game at one in the fifth inning. The Tar Heels snapped Sallinger's scoreless innings streak at 34.0 innings as UNC tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Emily Price reached on an error and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Theresa Nicholas followed with a single to left field and advanced to second base on the throw to the plate. Higgins drove in Price with a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the game at 1-1.
Carolina threatened again in the sixth inning as Jessica Young doubled to left center with two outs. After an intentional walk, Sallinger induced a pop out to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
Georgia Tech went ahead 2-1 in the top of the seventh as Kirin Kumar singled in Kristina Hull for the game-winning run.
"Sallinger hadn't allowed a run in 34 innings, but we were able to score a run off her," said Papa. "I just think we weren't able to capitalize on the opportunities that we got. We hit her very well, but when we had runners in position to score, we didn't capitalize and they did."
UNC next hosts East Carolina on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the UNC Softball Complex.
Game One Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Georgia Tech........ 010 000 1 - 2 7 1 North Carolina...... 000 010 0 - 1 4 1 -----------------------------------------E - Knudsen, T.(11); Higgins(8). DP - N. Carolina 2. LOB - Georgia Tech 6; N. Carolina 4. 2B - Waugh, T.(5); Young(13). SH - Waugh, T.(1); Graziano(10). SF - Higgins(2).
Georgia Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jessica Sallinger... 7.0 4 1 0 1 9 23 26 91
North Carolina IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Crystal Cox......... 7.0 7 2 2 3 7 25 29 106
Win - Sallinger, J (24-6). Loss - Cox (20-10). Save - None. Inherited runners/scored: None. Pitches/strikes: Sallinger, J 91/74; Cox 106/71. Umpires - HP: Christie Cornwell 1B: Randy McLamb Start: 1:59 pm Time: 1:58 Attendance:
Game Two Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Georgia Tech........ 010 100 0 - 2 8 2 North Carolina...... 000 000 3 - 3 10 1 -----------------------------------------
Note: 1 out, 3 runners LOB when the game ended.
E - Reddick, S.(2); Kumar, K.(11); Higgins. LOB - Georgia Tech 10; N. Carolina 11. 2B - Waugh, T.. HBP - Wissmann, S.; Graziano. SH - Schlechte, L(2). SB - Snipes; Price.
Georgia Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Erin Voeltz......... 6.1 10 3 2 3 6 29 33 98
North Carolina IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Alison Yin.......... 7.0 8 2 1 2 2 29 33 100
Win - Yin (15-6). Loss - Voeltz, E. (13-7). Save - None. HBP - by Yin (Wissmann, S.); by Voeltz, E. (Graziano). Inherited runners/scored: None. Pitches/strikes: Voeltz, E. 98/69; Yin 100/65. Umpires - HP: Randy McLamb 1B: Christie Cornwell Start: 4:17 pm Time: 2:03 Attendance: 201
