North Carolina
Nebraska
No. 25 Carolina Tops No. 15 Nebraska, FAMU
March 10, 2006 | Softball
March 10, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- Sophomore second baseman Cassie Palmer belted a three-run home run to lead the No. 25 North Carolina softball team to a 3-1 win over No. 15 Nebraska in the opening game of the FSU Invitational Friday morning at JoAnne Graf Field. UNC (16-5) then added a 2-0 win over Florida A&M later in the afternoon to take control of Pool B.
Nebraska (12-3) took an early lead in game one thanks to the speed of leadoff hitter Lizzy Aumua. Aumua reached on an infield single and, with no one covering second, took an extra base. Two batters later, Crystal Carwile singled her home to give the Cornhuskers a 1-0 lead.
The Huskers would hold the lead until the bottom of the fifth when the Tar Heels finally broke through. Starting pitcher Lisa Norris led off with a walk. Alyssa Francona then laid down a sacrifice bunt and pinch runner Marissa May beat a throw to first, giving UNC runners on first and second. Two batters later, Palmer drove her third home run of the season over the left field wall to give Carolina a 3-1 lead.
A two-run lead would be plenty for Norris (6-1), as the Snellville, Ga., freshman allowed just an infield single in the sixth and a double in the seventh. Norris struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed only a handful of hard-hit balls.
Senior Crystal Cox (6-4) started game two against FAMU and was in complete control throughout. The Harrisburg, N.C., product struck out 11 over seven scoreless innings to lower her ERA to a team-leading 0.50.
Carolina got its two runs in the third thanks to back-to-back extra-base hits. Palmer led off the frame with a solid single to center and scored two batters later on an RBI triple off the bat of Jennifer Jacobs. Sophomore Casey Testa then ripped a double to center, scoring Jacobs.
UNC is now 2-0 in Pool B play and will meet St. John's Saturday morning at 10.
