University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Elon
Norris Rings Up 16 In 7-0 Win Over Elon
March 25, 2008 | Softball
March 25, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior right-hander Lisa Norris opened Tuesday's game by striking out the side in the first and continued to mow down the Elon batters as she set a new career high with 16 strikeouts in Carolina's 7-0 win over the Phoenix in Anderson Stadium. The reigning ACC Player of the Week, Danielle Spaulding, connected on a three-run home run in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach and propel the Tar Heels to 28-6-1 on the year, while Elon falls to 14-10. Carolina will be back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Longwood in a doubleheader set for 4 p.m.
Norris was dominant from the start as she set down the order in the first all on strikeouts. The Snellville, Ga. native would help herself out in the bottom of the second when she connected on her fourth home run of the year, a shot to dead center that put Carolina on top 1-0. Breanna Brown would make it 2-0 after three, when she singled through the left side and proceeded to steal second before scoring on a single to center field by Jennifer Jacobs. The centerfielder miss played the ball allowing the speedy Brown to score with ease.
Elon was able to scratch out its lone hit of the game in the top of the fourth when leadoff hitter Tracey Dahlen reached on a bunt single to break up Norris' no-no bid. The hit did not seem to bother Norris as she set down the next three batters to get out of the inning.
The Tar Heels put together a big inning in the bottom of the fifth when Danielle Spaulding crushed a ball to center field for her fifth home run of the year, a three-run shot that put Carolina ahead to stay at 5-0. Alyssa Francona and Jennifer Jacobs tallied RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth for the final tally of 7-0.
Norris was the story of the day however, as she eclipsed her previous career high of 13 strikeouts and fell just one shy of tying the school record of 17. Norris struck out the side in the first, third and fifth innings and rang up two batters in the second, sixth and seventh. Elon entered the game being shutout just one previous time on the year before Norris kept the Phoenix scoreless with her 16 strikeouts.
Jacobs finished the day 3 for 4 at the dish with the RBI and Spaulding led the squad in RBIs with her three-run blast. The Tar Heels have connected on at least one home run in their last four ball games and nine of their last 12 games has seen at least one ball leave the park.
Carolina will look to keep the streak alive on Wednesday when Longwood comes to Chapel Hill for a twinbill scheduled for 4 p.m. at Anderson Stadium.
