University of North Carolina Athletics
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NC State
No. 13 Tar Heels Fall 1-0 In ACC Tournament
May 10, 2008 | Softball
May 10, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A solo home run by NC State's Kristine Becholdt in the bottom of the second inning would provide the lone run of Saturday's ACC Tournament semi-final game in College Park, Md. as the Wolfpack (31-26) claimed a 1-0 win over top-seeded North Carolina (50-10-1). Starter Lisa Norris allowed just one run in her six innings of work as she struck out four, while Jennifer Jacobs paced the offense with a pair of singles. The No. 13 Tar Heels will now await their NCAA Tournament fate which will be released at 10 p.m. on Sunday and televised on ESPNU.
echtholdt's home run led off the bottom of the second inning and provided an early boost to starter Lindsay Campana who carried the momentum into the top of the third when she sat the Tar Heels down in order. Carolina mounted a rally in the top of the fourth when Jacobs got things going with a one out single to left field. Pinch runner Dani Manko came on for Jacobs and moved up to second base when Emily Troup drew a five-pitch walk to put a pair of runners on base with just one down. Christine Knauer would come on to run for Troup but it would not matter as Whitney Allen hit a chopper up the middle that NC State turned into an inning-ending 6-3 double play.
The sixth inning would be witness to another run-scoring opportunity for the circle Heels as Danielle Spaulding helped to spark a two-out rally. The ACC Player of the Year battled with Campana throughout the at bat before drawing a walk. Jacobs would follow with her second hit of the ball game, another looper into left center that put the tying run in scoring position for the Tar Heels. Troup would step into the box with a chance to tie the ball game and hit a slow roller to the shortstop that was fielded and fired to first to end the threat and the inning.
Whitney Allen led off the top of the seventh with a single through the right side that brought some life to the Tar Heel dugout. Ashley Oxendine came on to pinch run for Allen but back-to-back strikeouts and a grounder to third would end any hope of the Tar Heels tying the ball game or reaching the ACC Championship on Sunday.
The No. 13 Tar Heels will now learn their tournament fate at 10 p.m. when the NCAA releases its 2008 postseason bracket on ESPNU.
