North Carolina
Florida State
No. 25 Carolina Falls To FSU In ACC Opener
March 13, 2006 | Softball
March 13, 2006
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- Florida State scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to score a 2-1 comeback victory over No. 25 North Carolina Monday night at JoAnne Graf Field. Natasha Jacob's sacrifice fly scored BillieAnne Gay to secure the win for FSU in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams. Freshman Lisa Norris was in the circle for the Tar Heels and, despite throwing 6.1 shutout innings before allowing a run, fell to 7-2 on the season.
Carolina (19-7, 0-1 ACC) scored an unearned run in the top of the first thanks to a pair of FSU errors. Sophomore second baseman Cassie Palmer reached on a fielding error and took second on Ashley Oxendine's sacrifice bunt. Sophomore first baseman Jennifer Jacobs then lifted a ball to left field that was misplayed for a two-base error, scoring Palmer.
That would be all the Tar Heels could muster against Florida State sophomore Tiffany McDonald. McDonald (12-5) did not allow a hit until freshman center fielder Breanna Brown's single in the fourth and surrendered just three over seven innings.
Norris was in control until the seventh, when the Seminoles (19-9, 1-0 ACC) rallied for the win. Kim Hoffer reached on a one-out single and took second on Gay's single to right. Michelle Snyder then singled to left to score Hoffer and move Gay to third. That brought Jacob to the plate for the game-winning sacrifice fly, as Gay came home with the decisive run.
The Tar Heels and the Seminoles wrap up their series Tuesday with a doubleheader. Game one is set to begin at 4 p.m.
