University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Norris Comes Up Big Again As Heels Take Series, Give Papa Her 800th Win At Carolina
April 1, 2007 | Softball
April 1, 2007
ATLANTA --- Lisa Norris pitched her second complete game of the weekend and added a two-run home run at the plate as No. 25 North Carolina beat Georgia Tech 6-4 in the series rubbermatch at Glenn Field Sunday afternoon. With the win, UNC moved to 36-9 overall and 8-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 32-12 and 4-5 in the ACC.
The win also marked the 800th victory -- in 22 seasons -- since head coach Donna J. Papa came to Carolina. Earlier this season, Papa claimed her 800th career victory with a win against Hofstra. Papa has led the Tar Heels to a 800-461-4 record during her tenure.
Norris pitched seven innings - after going all 12 frames in Saturday's extra-inning duel - giving up eight hits and four runs in moving her record to 22-6. She had a big day offensively as well for the Tar Heels, going 1-for-2 with a run, two RBI and a walk. Cassie Palmer collected two hits and scored a run to help fuel the UNC attack as well.
Georgia Tech was first out of the gates, though, as Whitney Haller hit her second home run in as many games in the bottom of the first inning to stake Georgia Tech to 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the top of the fourth, when with two outs and Anna Evans on base, Norris jacked a two-run shot over the right field fence to give the Tar Heels a 2-1 lead.
Carolina would go on to extend its lead to five, adding two runs in the fifth and putting another two across in the sixth while Norris kept a potent Yellow Jacket offense off the board. Whitney Allen got the scoring started in the fifth, blasting the second home run of the day for the Tar Heels, a drive to centerfield to lead off the inning. A Casey Testa RBI-double scored Cassie Palmer later in the frame. A key error by Georgia Tech in the sixth helped the offense continue for UNC, as Christine Knauer and Evans both scored unearned runs on the play, giving Norris a comfortable 6-1 margin heading into the last two Yellow-Jacket at-bats.
It turned out to be just enough to preserve Carolina's league-leading eighth win in the conference. Norris allowed two hits in the sixth but escaped unscathed before running into a bit of trouble in the seventh. Georgia Tech struck for two runs and put the possible tying run on base, but Norris locked down and induced a pop-out to end the game.
Carolina will next face UNC Greensboro in a Wednesday doubleheader set to start at 4 p.m.
