University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
No. 15 Tar Heels Handle Cavaliers, 11-2 & 6-1
April 12, 2008 | Softball
April 12, 2008
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 15 North Carolina softball team rolled to a pair of ACC victories over Virginia on Saturday as the Tar Heels took an 11-2 five-inning victory in game one before claiming a 6-1 win in game two for the 11th and 12th ACC wins of the year. Carolina improves to 39-8-1 overall with the wins and an ACC-best 12-1 mark in conference play, while Virginia falls to 13-30 overall and 4-10 in the ACC. The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will close out the series on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
Carolina came out firing on all cylinders in the series opener on Saturday as the Tar Heels pounded out 11 runs on 12 hits, including a six-spot in the first. Breanna Brown got the hit parade going early as she laced a triple to right center to lead off the game. Cassie Palmer followed with a run-scoring double to left center before moving to third on an illegal pitch call. Jennifer Jacobs stepped to the plate next and dropped a single over the third baseman's head for her team-leading 32nd RBI of the season. Whitney Allen, Lisa Norris, Brittany McKinney and Breanna Brown all would follow later in the inning with RBI singles to give the Tar Heels the early 6-0 advantage.
The Tar Heels would continue to add to their lead in the top of the third when Lisa Norris connected on her fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot that soared over the left field fence. Cassie Palmer would make the score 10-0 later in the inning when she added a two-run blast of her own over the left center fence for her fifth home run of the year as well. Virginia would tally single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth to narrow the margin to 10-2. Pinch hitter Stephanie Murad would extend the Carolina lead to nine (11-2) as she laced a ball back up the middle to score pinch runner Dani Manko and help give Lisa Norris her team-leading 14th win of the year.
It would take the Tar Heels an inning to get going in game two as Carolina went down in order in the top of the first. A trio of singles from Danielle Spaulding, Emily Troup and Alyssa Francona loaded the bases for Virginia native Sam Ingersoll who hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score the game's first run. With two outs on the board, Bree Ensminger made the score 2-0 when she ripped a single through the right side that scored Troup and gave starter Amber Johnson an early cushion.
Breanna Brown came up with her second triple in as many games in the top of the fourth when she laced a ball to center that the centerfielder barely missed catching with a dive attempt. Brown's three-bagger drove in a pair of runs before Cassie Palmer added an RBI double to up the Carolina lead to 5-0.
Virginia would pick up an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to cut into the Tar Heel lead before Carolina tacked on one more in the top half of the seventh. Anna Roberts led off the inning with a double off the left field wall and moved to third when the throw into the infield sailed over the second baseman's head. Spaulding followed with a seeing-eye single through the left side that scored Roberts easily to provide the final margin of 6-1.
Cassie Palmer led the way offensively for Carolina on the day as she finished 4 for 8 with a pair of runs scored, four RBIs to go along with four extra-base hits. Breanna Brown joined Palmer with four hits in the doubleheader, while Danielle Spaulding and Emily Troup each added three hits apiece.
Carolina improves to 39-8-1 on the year and 12-1 in ACC play with the sweep and will look to reach the 40-win plateau for the ninth time in school history on Sunday when the Tar Heels and Cavaliers close out the series.
