University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Missouri
Carolina Splits Day One At Leadoff Classic
February 24, 2006 | Softball
Feb. 24, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ga. --- Freshman pitcher Lisa Norris tossed a complete game one-hitter to lead No. 23 North Carolina to a 3-0 win over Missouri in the opening game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic at the South Commons Complex. The Tar Heels (9-2) fell to No. 16 Arizona State, 4-3 in nine innings, in game two. Senior pitcher Crystal Cox was the hard-luck loser, allowing four unearned runs over nine innings and carrying a no-hitter into the eighth.
Norris (3-0) did her best to single-handedly beat the Tigers in the early game. The Snellville, Ga., native limited Missouri to an infield single in the second and proceeded to retire 16 of the next 18 batters. In the top of the fourth, she stepped to the plate with runners on first and second with one out. Norris belted a triple to left center, plating freshman center fielder Breanna Brown and junior third baseman Joslin Higgins. Two batters later, sophomore second baseman Cassie Palmer singled home Norris to give the Tar Heels their final margin of victory.
Arizona State (14-0) took advantage of a Carolina miscue in the top of the first in game two. After a walk and a hit batter put a pair of runners on, Cox (3-2) induced a fly ball that appeared would end the inning. But junior right fielder Erin Dudley was unable to corral the ball, and the Sun Devils score the game's first run. A Cox wild pitch allowed ASU to make it 2-0 without the benefit of a hit.
Cox completely dominated the next six innings. After the two-run first, she struck out the next six batters on her way to a career-high 15 punchouts. No Sun Devil reached base, and of the nine batted balls, only one left the infield.
Carolina, however, was not much more successful at the plate. The Tar Heels stranded four runners in the third and fourth innings, but were unable to mount a threat. That is, until the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and senior Erica Ennis on first, Dudley drove an 0-1 pitch to right center for a game-tying home run.
Starting the eighth, each half-inning began with a runner on second base in accordance with the international tiebreaker rule. ASU scored once in the top of the eighth thanks to a Rhiannon Baca bloop single, the Sun Devlis' first of the game.
Carolina responded in the bottom half of the frame. After Palmer was placed on second, freshman outfielder Ashley Oxendine reached on an infield single to give the Tar Heels runners on first and second. Junior shortstop Anna Evans then sacrificed the runners over for sophomore Casey Testa. Testa singled to left to score Palmer, but Oxendine was cut down at the plate, preserving the tie.
ASU loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth and eventually scored on a passed ball. Cox wriggled out of further trouble, giving Arizona State a 4-3 lead entering the bottom of the ninth. But the Tar Heels could not advance their tiebreaking baserunner beyond second, and the Sun Devils escaped.
Carolina is scheduled to play Auburn at 10 a.m. Saturday, but the weather forecast is not good. Check back to TarHeelBlue.com for an update as soon as information is available.
