University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Longwood
No. 19 Carolina Sweeps Longwood
March 26, 2008 | Softball
March 26, 2008
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 19 North Carolina softball team eclipsed the 30-win mark on Wednesday as the Tar Heels swept Longwood (17-12) in a midweek doubleheader. Carolina (30-6-1) opened the day with a 8-0 win in five innings before taking the nightcap 3-1 for the sweep. The Tar Heels improved to 16-0 at home on the year and will look to add to that total this weekend when they host Georgia Tech in a three game weekend series.
Danielle Spaulding got the call in the circle for game one and delivered another stellar performance. The sophomore struck out 13 batters for the second consecutive game and allowed just one hit in her five innings of work. With the win Spaulding is now 9-1 on the year. The Fontana, Calif. native struck out nine batters in the opening three innings, allowing just one hit and a walk.
The Tar Heels got on the board early when Jennifer Jacobs connected on her ACC-leading seventh home run of the year, a shot that cleared the centerfield fence. Jacobs' blast was a two-run shot thanks to a leadoff single from Cassie Palmer. Dani Manko helped extend the lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third when she laced a ball down the right field line that rolled into the corner for a two-run double. Manko attempted to stretch the double into a triple and was cut down at third but not before Christine Knauer and Bree Ensminger scored to give Spaulding a 4-0 advantage to work with.
Spaulding would help out her own cause in the bottom of the fourth when she connected on a two-run single to left field. The Tar Heels tacked on an unearned run later in the inning thanks to a passed ball to close within one run of ending the game in five at 7-0. Three more strikeouts in the top of the fifth put Carolina in position to end the game in the bottom half. Emily Troup made sure the game would not get past the fifth when she connected on a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded to bring the opening game to a close at 8-0.
In the second game, Longwood picked up its lone run of the day in the top of the first. Carolina would answer in the bottom half with a pair of runs to take the lead. The Tar Heels used two Lancer errors to gain the lead.
The one-run advantage would be all starter Amber Johnson would need as she settled down after allowing the unearned run in the first. Only two runners reached second base after the first inning and Longwood was unable to move anyone to third as Johnson struck out seven batters in the game.
The Tar Heels tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Cassie Palmer drove in her team-high 24th RBI of the year when Breanna Brown scored from second after reaching by way of a Longwood error.
Carolina has eclipsed the 30-win mark for the 11th consecutive year with the win and will look to improve on its league-best mark of 5-1 on Saturday when the Tar Heels host Georgia Tech in a weekend series. The Tar Heels and Yellow Jackets will meet at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a doubleheader before a single contest on Sunday at 1 p.m.
