University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
No. 15 Tar Heels Roll Cavaliers, 7-1
April 13, 2008 | Softball
April 13, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 15 Tar Heels (40-8-1, 13-1 ACC) continued to put up runs at Virginia on Sunday as Carolina cruised to a 7-1 win over the host Cavaliers. The Tar Heels pounded out 24 runs in the three-game series and were led by Breanna Brown who was 7 for 12 on the weekend, including 3 for 5 on Sunday. Danielle Spaulding got the win for Carolina in the circle as she rung up 14 batters for her 12th win of the year. The win improves Carolina to 40-8-1 on the year as the Tar Heels reach the 40-win plateau for the ninth time in school history.
rown led off the game with a double to right field gap and then moved to third following a sacrifice bunt but was unable to score the game's opening run as she was stranded at third to end the inning. The Tar Heels made sure a similar situation did not occur in the top of the second as they put three runs on the board. Back-to-back free passes to Anna Roberts and Whitney Allen put a pair of runners on with nobody out, but after a pair of outs were recorded Roberts and Allen were still at first and second. An illegal pitch put both runners in scoring position for the hot-hitting Brown and she more than delivered by dropping a double down the left field line to make the score 2-0. Cassie Palmer made it a quick 3-0 lead as she singled to center to score Brown and make it 3-0.
Virginia would cut into the lead with a solo shot in the bottom of the second, the lone hit that Spaulding would give up on the day. Carolina tacked on a single run in the top of the fourth when Palmer tallied her second RBI of the game with a single back up the middle. Spaulding helped herself out in the top of the seventh when she launched eighth home run of the year over the center field fence. Carolina would add another run later in the inning as a walk and back-to-back singles from Anna Roberts and pinch hitter Dani Manko made the score 6-1. Another pinch hitter, Bree Ensminger, tacked on another run with a single to left center for the final margin of 7-1.
Spaulding was simply dominant on the day striking out 14 batters for the complete game win. The Fontana, Calif. native struck out two or more batters in five of the seven innings and struck out the side in the fifth.
The 13th ACC win of the year for Carolina ties the school record for ACC wins in a year with the 2007 squad that finished 13-7. The Tar Heels hold onto the top spot in the ACC with the win and now sit at 13-1 in conference play with just two three-game series remaining.
