University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Tar Heels Advance in ACC Tournament With 7-2 Win Over Maryland
May 14, 2004 | Softball
May 14, 2004
Tallahassee, Fla. - The North Carolina softball team advanced in the winner's bracket of the ACC Tournament on Friday night, as they defeated Maryland 7-2. UNC won on the strength of a six-run fifth inning, capped off by a two-run home by senior Emily Price. Sophomore pitcher Crystal Cox picked up the win for UNC as the Tar Heels improved to 43-18 on the season.
Maryland got on the board first after Keri Lounge singled in leadoff hitter Casey Leiter to make it 1-0. UNC struggled to put runs on the board in the early innings, as they failed to get a hit until the third inning.
Carolina finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Theresa Nicholas led off with a single over the shortstop's head and freshman Joslin Higgins advanced Nicholas to second on a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Anna Evans followed with a flare over the first baseman's head that fell in for a single and advanced Nicholas to third.
Nicholas scored the first run of the game after Maryland's pitcher Jessica Aditays bobbled a Marissa May bunt, as the freshman May reached safely. May and Evans stole second and third base respectively and then each scored when senior Dionne Streete hit a two-run double to centerfield.
Senior Natashalyn Snipes kept the pressure on as she doubled to left center, moving Streete to third base. Junior Jessica Young followed with a RBI groundout, scoring Streete. UNC finished the scoring in the inning when Emily Price hit a two-run blast to make it 6-1. With the home run, Price broke the UNC single-season record as she now has 16 on the year.
Carolina added an insurance run in the sixth, as Nicholas scored on an error by the Terrapin third baseman. Maryland threatened with a run in the seventh inning, but UNC's Cox held on for the win to improve her record to 23-11.
North Carolina next faces top-seed Florida State at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the winner's bracket.
