University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Elon
No. 22 Carolina Sweeps Elon
April 5, 2006 | Softball
April 5, 2006
CHAPEL HILL --- Crystal Cox won her 10th and 11th straight decisions and Casey Testa extended her hitting streak to 10 games as the No. 22 North Carolina softball team swept visiting Elon, 5-0 and 8-1, Wednesday at Anderson Stadium. Jennifer Jacobs added three hits and three RBIs for Carolina in game one, while Alyssa Francona had a pinch-hit grand slam in the nightcap.
Carolina (35-10) scored in the first inning of game one to take a lead it would never relinquish. Cassie Palmer led off with a walk and took second on Ashley Oxendine's bunt single. Testa then continued her hot hitting with a solid single to left to score Palmer.
The Tar Heels added two runs each in the third and fourth to push the lead to 5-0. Jacobs belted her team-leading seventh home run of the year to score pinch-runner Marissa May in the third. A Testa sacrifice fly and another Jacobs run-scoring hit in the fourth rounded out the scoring.
Cox (18-5), who threw her first career perfect game against Elon (18-14) a year ago, controlled the game in the circle. The Harrisburg, N.C., senior struck out 10 batters through five innings before giving way to Amber Johnson. Johnson allowed just a single in the sixth in two scoreless innins of work.
The Phoenix opened the scoring in game two. After a fourth-inning leadoff double off Carolina starter Lisa Norris, Jaimie Rao advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and Cox was summoned for the bullpen. Cox struck out Patti Weber on four pitches before Nicole Ellis roped a double to the gap in left center to give Elon a 1-0 lead.
That lead would not last, however, as UNC put up three runs in the bottom of the inning. Oxendine ripped a solid double to left center to lead off, and Jacobs walked two batters later. A bloop single by Emily Troup loaded the bases, and Anna Evans came through with a single to left to score Oxendine and May, who pinch-ran for Jacobs. Breanna Brown then reached on an error that allowed Troup to score an unearned run.
Carolina put the game away an inning later. Testa extending her hitting streak with a solo home run to start the inning, and three straight walks loaded the bases for Francona's blast. The Chestnut Hill, Mass., freshman lifted the first pitch she saw to deep right center, clearing the bases and making it 8-1.
Cox would not allow another hit in 2.2 innings to pick up the win, and Johnson pitched a scoreless seventh to end it.
Carolina hits the road again this weekend with a three-game series against Boston College. First pitch for Saturday's game is set for 1 p.m.
