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NC State Completes Series Sweep, Defeats UNC 2-0
April 22, 2007 | Softball
April 22, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C. --- Abbie Sims threw her sixth consecutive shutout Sunday afternoon at Walnut Creek Softball Complex as NC State topped North Carolina 2-0 to complete a sweep of the weekend series. UNC (41-15, 10-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) failed to score a run in any of the three games against the Wolfpack (39-16, 13-5 ACC), the first time the Tar Heels had been kept off the scoreboard in three straight contests since the last game of the regular season and the first two games of the ACC Tournament in 2005.
After struggling against Sims to the tune of just three hits in game one Saturday, Breanna Brown helped try to set a different tone early in game three, reaching base on an infield single to open the game. She would end up reaching third on a Cassie Palmer sac-bunt and a Jennifer Jacobs groundout to second, but a deep fly from cleanup hitter Casey Testa was reeled in at the fence to end the Tar Heel attack.
After that, Sims settled down and UNC's Lisa Norris was in command early as the game remained scoreless through three. But a two-out home run to dead center from Wolfpack shortstop Shanna Smith in the bottom of the fourth broke the deadlock and gave NC State a 1-0 lead.
A leadoff walk from Norris and a one-out infield hit from pinch-hitter Anna Roberts helped the Tar Heels threaten in the top of the fifth. Sims kept UNC off the scoreboard, though, inducing a flyout and a lineout to strand both Carolina runners.
A clutch base knock from NC State catcher Miranda Ervin scored another two-out run for the Wolfpack in the sixth as it converted Jen Chamberlin's leadoff single into a two-run advantage heading into the Tar Heels' last at-bat.
Anna Evans jumpstarted a potential rally with a base hit to left field to open things up for Carolina in the seventh, but Sims slammed the door shut all by herself, first striking out Norris before catching an Emily Troup liner and throwing to first to double up Evans in a game-ending double play.
The win moved Sims' record to 24-5 and extended NC State's school-record winning streak to 15 straight as UNC managed just five hits against her on the day. Despite turning in a quality performance in the circle herself, Norris took her second loss of the series and dropped her third straight decision, falling to 23-10 on the season.
For the weekend, Carolina cranked out just nine collective hits - none of the extra-base variety - and has now been shutout in four of its last six games. Prior to that stretch, the Tar Heels had been held scoreless just once all season, against Auburn on Feb. 23.
Next up for the Tar Heels is a Tuesday date with Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C., at 4 p.m.
