University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Streak Stands At 24 After Saturday Sweep Of BC
March 24, 2007 | Softball
March 24, 2007
CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina swept Boston College 9-4 and 1-0 in a Saturday doubleheader at Anderson Stadium, staying perfect in Atlantic Coast Conference play this season in the process and stretching its school-record winning streak to 24 straight games. The Tar Heels (31-8, 5-0 ACC) will go for the series sweep against the Eagles (1-10, 0-2 ACC) Sunday at 1 p.m.
Carolina used some late-inning heroics in game one to fuel a dramatic come-from-behind victory. The decisive rally caught fire in the bottom of the sixth when UNC plated eight runs on six hits and took advantage of two key Boston College errors to surge into a five-run lead at 9-4 after trailing 4-1 entering the frame.
Designated player Casey Testa collected what proved to be the game-winning hit in the inning as she lifted a pitch just enough to clear the glove of a leaping Boston College shortstop, scoring Cassie Palmer and Breanna Brown to give UNC its first lead of the game at 5-4. Anna Evans kept her torrid streak at the plate alive with a two-RBI single later in the frame, and Joslin Higgins and Erin Dudley each picked up run-scoring hits in the offensive explosion as Carolina broke the game open.
Danielle Spaulding, who replaced UNC starter Amber Johnson in the circle after the third, was marvelous in relief to pick up the win - her second in as many games. Spaulding (2-0) tied her career high with eight strikeouts, which she set in just her second start of the season Wednesday against UNC Wilmington, in just four innings of work and allowed just one hit - a pop-up to first that dropped in after a miscommunication among UNC's infielders.
Before the Tar Heels' big inning, it looked as if Carolina's school-record winning streak was in jeopardy. Boston College wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, using an RBI-double and a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to jump out to a quick 3-0 lead.
The Eagles would go on to push their advantage to four runs in the third inning courtesy of Ashley Obrest, who lined a pitch over the centerfield fence for her second home run of the day.
Meanwhile, Carolina struggled to find an answer against Boston College starter Britney Thompson through the first three frames. Thompson retired the UNC side in order the first three times the Tar Heels came to bat before a Cassie Palmer single down the leftfield line to leadoff the fourth gave Carolina its first baserunner. A sacrifice bunt and a delayed steal helped Palmer move to third, and she came home on a Casey Testa groundout to plate UNC's first run. That run was all that the Tar Heels could muster in the frame, and the game moved to the fifth with the Eagles ahead 4-1. Neither team was able to plate a run in the frame, and the deficit was still three when UNC started their sixth-inning comeback.
Carolina used a different formula in game two, scoring the game's first run in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. Lisa Norris drew a leadoff walk and pinch-runner Christine Knauer moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. An RBI-single off the bat of Brown scored Knauer and gave UNC the early advantage.
Lisa Norris ensured that that was all the offense the Tar Heels would need, pitching seven shutout innings for UNC - the fourth time this season she's gone the distance without giving up a run. Norris (18-6) only allowed five Eagle hits on the day.
That's not to say there wasn't drama, though. With UNC clutching to its one-run lead in the top of the seventh, Boston College managed to put a runner on second with two outs. In a bizarre and hectic play, catcher Whitney Gelin threw to third to catch the BC runner attempting to steal, but her throw was wide of the bag and glanced off third baseman Higgins' glove into left field. The Eagle runner took off for home in a bid to tie the game, but leftfielder Whitney Allen, who had rounded up the ball in shallow left field, threw a rifle to Gelin at the plate who held on to record the final out of the game.
The crucial play gave Carolina the win and helped keep the winning streak intact. UNC has not lost since they dropped a decision to No. 13 Michigan on Feb. 24.
The series against Boston College concludes with a 1 p.m. game Sunday, which will be broadcast online live via ACC select.
