University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Spaulding Leads Tar Heel Sweep Of Georgia Tech
March 29, 2008 | Softball
March 29, 2008
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Danielle Spaulding connected a solo home run in the opening game of an ACC doubleheader against Georgia Tech on Saturday before closing the day with her 10th victory of the year in the circle fueling the Tar Heel sweep. No. 19 Carolina (32-6-1, 7-1 ACC) took game one 3-1 before taking down Georgia Tech (15-23, 2-6 ACC) 6-2 in the second game. With the pair of wins and a loss by Virginia Tech, Carolina now holds the top spot in the ACC standings with a 7-1 mark. The Tar Heels will be looking for their second straight ACC sweep on Sunday with the teams set to play at 1 p.m.
Spaulding put the Tar Heels on the board early in game one when she connected on her sixth home run of the year, a shot to center that gave starter Lisa Norris an early advantage. Norris was strong in the opening innings as she set down the first nine batters she faced in order, including four by way of strikeout.
The Tar Heels would tack on two more insurance runs in the bottom half of the third with Breanna Brown leading off the inning with a single that bounced off the pitcher's glove which she beat easily to reach first. Following a fly out, Brown swiped second for the second time in the game to put herself in scoring position. Emily Troup followed with a walk to put a pair of runners on for Lisa Norris who would help out her own cause with a single to center that would load the bases for Spaulding. The Fontana, Calif. native delivered with an RBI single that dropped in to left center to make the score 2-1. With the bases still loaded, Whitney Allen hit a sharp grounder to shortstop that drove in Carolina's third run of the game.
The Yellow Jackets would cut into the lead in the top of the seventh with a solo home run off Norris but were unable to inch any closer as the Carolina hurler improved to 11-3 on the year. Breanna Brown and Danielle Spaulding each connected on three hits in the game to lead the Tar Heels.
Spaulding got the call in the circle in game two looking to become the second Tar Heel pitcher with double digit victories as she entered with a 9-1 record. Her offense would give her instant run support as the Tar Heels pushed across a run in the bottom half of the first when Emily Troup doubled in Cassie Palmer who led off the inning with a walk. The hot-hitting Brown opened the third inning with her first home run of the season when she delivered a pitch over the right field fence to give Carolina a 2-0 lead.
rown would come up big once again in the bottom of the fourth. Bree Ensminger led off with a walk before she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Anna Roberts. Cassie Palmer added to her Carolina record when she was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with just one out when Brown drilled a double to left center that scored both Ensminger and Palmer to up the lead to 4-0 lead. Jennifer Jacobs would not leave Brown at third for long as she followed with a fly ball to center that scored Brown from third.
Carolina would tack on an unearned run in the fifth for a 6-0 advantage, before Georgia Tech got on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth. Despite the home run Spaulding was her usual dominant self on Saturday as she allowed just three hits in the game and struck out six for her 10th win.
Carolina will look for its second consecutive ACC sweep on Sunday when the Tar Heels and Yellow Jackets will close the series at 1 p.m.
