North Carolina
Utah
No. 25 Carolina Finishes Second At FSU Invitational
March 12, 2006 | Softball
March 12, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- Indiana's Mariangee Bogado threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout as No. 25 North Carolina fell to the Hoosiers, 1-0, in the championship game of the FSU Invitational Sunday at JoAnne Graf Field. Carolina advanced to the title game with a 4-1 win over Utah earlier in the day.
IU (11-8-1) scored the only run of the championship game in the top of the first inning. Julia Hamilton led off with a bunt single and stole second after Bogado was unable to move her over. After a passed ball moved Hamilton to third, Jennilee Huddleston provided a perfect squeeze bunt to score the eventual game-winner.
Carolina (19-6) had no answer for Bogado, as the Tar Heels amassed just four baserunners over seven innings. The best chance to tie came in the fifth when junior right fielder Erin Dudley doubled to left with two outs. But Bogado struck out pinch-hitter Lisa Norris to end the inning, and UNC never again threatened.
Senior Crystal Cox was solid in the circle, allowing just five hits over seven and striking out eight, but took the loss to fall to 7-5.
The Tar Heel offense also had just three hits in the semifinal win over Utah, but Carolina was able to manufacture four runs. With two outs in the top of the second, junior Marissa May scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0. After a Joslin Higgins walk, Dudley singled up the middle to score Anna Evans, who had reached on a fielder's choice.
Utah (12-6) got a run back in the third on a sacrifice fly, but Carolina added insurance runs in the fourth and sixth to secure the win. The Tar Heels loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and scored on a Higgins fielder's choice. Dudley came up with her second RBI of the day in the sixth, a solid single to left to score Norris (7-1), who got the win in the circle.
The Utes threatened in the seventh after getting back-to-back singles to open the frame. But Norris coaxed a pop-up on a sacrifice attempt for the first out and got back-to-back groundouts to end it.
Carolina will now prepare to begin Atlantic Coast Conference play, as the Tar Heels face Florida State Monday night at 6 in the league opener for both teams.
