University of North Carolina Athletics
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No. 20 Carolina Swept By NC State
April 28, 2006 | Softball
April 28, 2006
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 20 North Carolina lost its lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings on the final day of the regular season, falling to NC State, 3-2 and 3-2, Friday night at Anderson Stadium. With the wins, the Wolfpack (44-18, 14-6 ACC) claims the ACC regular season title for the first time in its three-year history and will enter the ACC Tournament as the top seed. Carolina (46-15, 13-7 ACC) can finish as high as second and no worse than third.
Game one featured a number of defensive miscues on both sides before the two starting pitchers settled down. The Tar Heels also stranded 11 runners over seven innings, including leaving the bases loaded on back-to-back innings.
NC State took an early lead in the second on an error by Carolina starter Crystal Cox (25-7). After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, Blair Harkey reached on a bunt single in front of home plate. Harkey then took a wide turn and got caught between first and second. After looking Lisa Nentwig back to third, Cox attempted to throw out Harkey at second. But her throw sailed high of center fielder Breanna Brown, who was covering second after the infielders left their positions to play the bunt. With no one to back up Brown, Nentwig easily scored and Harkey came all the way around to score as well.
Carolina got a run back in the bottom of the frame thanks to some sloppy defense by the Wolfpack. Jennifer Jacobs led off with a single, and pinch-runner Erin Dudley moved up on an Anna Evans sacrifice. After an infield single by Ashley Oxendine, Emily Troup grounded to second for what looked to be an easy force play. But Tess Corona's throw to second hit Oxendine and bounced into left field, allowing Dudley to score on the play.
Wolfpack starter Abbie Sims (21-11) helped herself with an insurance run in the third. After two quick outs to start the inning, Sims belted a 2-2 pitch to left to give NC State a 3-1 lead.
The Tar Heels would again cut into the deficit in the bottom of the inning. Breanna Brown led off with a single and took second on a Casey Testa sacrifice bunt. After Jacobs flied to left, Sims issued back-to-back walks to Evans and Lisa Norris to load the bases. Troup then worked a full count and took a walk of her own to force home Brown. But UNC could get no more, as Joslin Higgins struck out swinging to end the rally.
After a wild first three innings, Cox and Sims took over the final four innings of the game. Carolina's best chance to score came in the sixth, when Alyssa Francona reached on a two-out error. After Theresa Nicholas re-entered to run at first, Brown roped a solid double to the gap in left center. But a perfect relay just nabbed Nicholas at the plate, ending the inning.
Sims issued a pair of one-out walks in the seventh, but the Tar Heels could not capitalize, ending the game and leaving the two teams tied atop the league standings.
NC State got all the runs it would need in game two in the top of the first inning. Carolina starter Amber Johnson (8-3) walked two of the first three batters before surrendering a three-run home run to Miranda Ervin. After two more singles, UNC turned to Norris, who quickly induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
But the damage had been done. Ervin's twin sister Shaina (16-3) took care of the rest, allowing just three hits over seven innings to get the win. Her only hiccup came in the third, when Carolina cut the lead to 3-2. After a one-out walk by Dudley, Cassie Palmer singled to left and both runners moved up on errors by left fielder Megan Dalthorp. Brown then continued her good day at the plate, ripping a single up the middle to score Dudley and Palmer.
The Tar Heels would not have another runner in scoring position the rest of the way. Norris, who was outstanding in 6.2 innings of scoreless relief, grouned into a double play to end the game and set off a Wolfpack celebration.
Carolina will now take a break for final exams before returning to Anderson Stadium for the ACC Tournament May 11-14. The only scenario in which the Tar Heels would not be the tournament's No. 2 seed would be if Georgia Tech sweeps Virginia Tech this weekend. If that does not happen, Carolina would play the league's No. 7 seed on Thursday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m.
