University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Illinois State
Tar Heels Drop 2-0 Decision To Illinois State
March 2, 2008 | Softball
March 2, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ga. -
Danielle Spaulding struck out a career-high 16 batters but it was not enough as Illinois State knocked off No. 23 North Carolina 2-0 on Sunday in the final game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Spaulding's 16 strikeouts were just one shy of the Carolina record set by Tracey Bower in 1988. Carolina falls to 15-6 on the year, while Illinois State improves to 10-10. The Tar Heels will play a pair of midweek games this week before hosting the Tar Heel Invitational next weekend.Spaulding's stellar performance got off to a slow start as she hit the leadoff batter in the first and walked the next to find herself in early trouble. Spaulding was able to strike out the next two batters and appear to get out of trouble. Abby Olson would change that as she cleared the bases with a two-run double to right field to give the Redbirds an early 2-0 lead. Spaulding would set the next batter down on strikes to end the inning.
Breanna Brown led off the bottom half of the first with a single and would eventually reach third on a sacrifice bunt and an error by the catcher but was unable to score. The Tar Heels would put another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the second as Spaulding led off the inning by drawing a walk before Anna Roberts layed down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner Chrisine Knauer to second. Back-to-back groundouts to short would keep Knauer on second and the Tar Heels in a 2-0 hole.
Following the two-run double in the first Spaulding was locked in as she set the next 10 batters down in order, including eight on strikes. The Fontana, Calif. native struck out the side in both the second and the fourth innings. Carolina put itself in a great position to even the score in the bottom of the fourth as Jennifer Jacobs led off with a walk before Dani Manko pinch ran for her. Emily Troup reached on a fielder's choice but Manko was cut down at second for the first out of the inning. Spaulding walked for the second time in as many at bats putting runners on first and second for Anna Roberts who forced out Troup at third for the second out of the inning. A Bree Ensminger walk loaded the bases with two outs for Alyssa Francona. The sophomore third baseman was unable to drive in the runs as she went down on strikes to end the Carolina threat.
Illinois State ended Spaulding's run at 10 batters with a single to lead off top of the fifth before the sophomore lefty picked up where she left with eight more consecutive outs, including six strikeouts.
A Jennifer Jacobs walk opened the bottom of the sixth before Emily Troup connected on a single to left field to put a pair of runners on with nobody out. Spaulding followed with a fly ball to right field that Jacobs attempted to tag up on but she was called out for leaving early, putting two outs on the board. Another fly out would end the inning and put Carolina within three outs of the loss. Bree Ensminger led off the seventh with a single to left field and moved to second on a Brown single with two outs. The Tar Heels would strand their seventh and eighth runners of the day with a line out to center field and fall to 15-6 on the year.
Carolina will look to bounce back in the battle of Carolina when South Carolina visits Chapel Hill for a single game at 4 p.m. at the Anderson Softball Complex.
