University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
USF
Jacobs Makes It Ten Straight For UNC
March 8, 2007 | Softball
March 8, 2007
CLEARWATER, FLA. --- A game-winning RBI double from Tampa, Fla., native Jennifer Jacobs brought Breanna Brown home from first in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday, giving North Carolina a 2-1 victory over South Florida in its second game of the USF/Adidas Invitational at Eddie C. Moore Field. UNC is riding a 10-game winning streak.
Jacobs' heroics moved her RBI total to 27 on the year, and her shot to right center was enough for Brown to slide in easily ahead of the throw and emphatically touch home plate for the dramatic win.
It was a struggle from the beginning. UNC (17-8) cranked out just one hit - a Cassie Palmer single - in the first three innings, but used a Stephanie Murad single and a Jacobs double with one out in the bottom of the fourth to set something up. A walk from USF (17-8) pitcher Cristi Ecks to Anna Evans loaded the bases with two outs, but Ecks got a called third strike to end Carolina's threat and keep the game scoreless.
Tar Heel starter Amber Johnson was equally impressive in limiting the Bulls' offense, keeping them off the board through five innings. USF scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth, though, to take the first lead of the game 1-0.
Carolina answered back with an unearned run of it's own in the bottom half, though, taking advantage of two Bulls errors in the inning to plate the tying run. The Heels were able to load the bases with one out, chasing Ecks, but USF reliever Bree Spence recorded the last two outs of the inning and UNC left three on.
Two Tar Heel errors to start the top of the seventh put two Bulls runners on and seemingly spelled trouble for UNC, but Johnson proved up to the task in the circle, striking out two USF batters and inducing a flyout to pitch out of the jam, setting the stage for Jacobs.
Johnson would pick up the win, taking her record to 7-2, as she struck out 12 and gave up just four hits in pitching a complete game. Spence (3-2) took the loss.
Carolina will face both Western Michigan (1 p.m.) and Jacksonville (6 p.m.) on Friday as pool play continues.
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