University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
UConn
Cox Tosses No-Hitter At FAU Tournament
March 17, 2006 | Softball
March 17, 2006
OCA RATON, Fla. --- No. 25 North Carolina was on both sides of dominant pitching performances Friday as the Tar Heels split a pair of games on day one of the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament. Senior Crystal Cox threw her eighth career no-hitter in a 3-2 win over Connecticut in the opener, while UMass starter Brandice Balschmiter struck out 13 over seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 loss.
Cox (9-5) was stellar against the Huskies, striking out 10 and not allowing a runner to advance beyond second until the seventh. The no-hitter was her first since last year's NCAA Tournament, when Cox blanked Canisius in a regional showdown.
Carolina (22-8) got single runs in the third, fifth and sixth to take a 3-0 lead. Sophomore second baseman Cassie Palmer led off the third with a double and later scored on a Casey Testa RBI single. In the fifth, sophomore left fielder Ashley Oxendine scored on Testa's sacrifice fly. Palmer drove home junior Erin Dudley with a single in the sixth.
The three runs would be just enough for the win, as the Huskies (6-9) scored a pair of unearned runs in the seventh. After a leadoff walk, Cox induced a pop-up for the first out of the inning. Jillian Ortega then grounded to third, where freshman Alyssa Francona threw on to second. But her throw was off target, rolling all the way to the wall to allow both runners to score. But Cox would respond, coming up with a pair of strikeouts to end the game and secure the no-hitter.
The Tar Heels were on the wrong side of a pitching gem in the second game against UMass. Balschmiter (7-3) came up with a career-high 13 strikeouts and allowed just one Carolina batter past first base.
Carolina starter Amber Johnson (5-1) had her own solid outing going until the third, when Whitney Mollica blasted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left cneter for a two-run home run to give the Minutewomen (8-8) a 2-0 lead. That would be more than enough for Balschmiter, as only sophomore first baseman Jennifer Jacobs was able to reach second base. Jacobs had two of UNC's three hits, including a fourth-inning double.
Action in the six-team tournament will continue throughout the weekend, with the Tar Heels next taking the field Saturday morning at 9 against Michigan State.
