North Carolina
Michigan State
No. 15 Carolina Takes Down Michigan State
March 13, 2009 | Softball
March 13, 2009
CONWAY, S.C. - Seven unanswered runs fueled No. 15 North Carolina past Michigan State, 7-2, Friday afternoon on the opening day of the Coastal Carolina Tournament in Conway, S.C. Anna Roberts and Emily Troup each tallied two hits as the Tar Heels improved to 20-5 on the year, becoming the quickest team to reach the 20-win mark in school history. The Tar Heels will take on No. 14 Missouri and Coastal Carolina in a pair of tournament games on Saturday.
Michigan State got to starter Lisa Norris early in the game as the Spartans pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the first. Back-to-back doubles opened the scoring for MSU as they quickly took a 1-0 lead before adding an RBI double two outs to take the two-run advantage.
A leadoff single by Christine Knauer started the Tar Heel comeback in the bottom of the third. Breanna Brown attempted to drop down a sacrifice bunt but Knauer was able to beat the throw to second to put a pair of runners on with nobody out. A grounder moved the runners into scoring position with one down. A comebacker to the pitcher added another out on the board with Anna Roberts coming to the plate. The junior outfielder laced a ball back up the middle plating Knauer but Brown was cutdown on the play at the plate for the third and final out.
A four-run fourth inning put Carolina in front for good as Emily Troup started things off with a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 2-2. Brittany Robinson then fueled a two-out rally as she beat out an infield single and moved to second when Knauer drew a base on balls. Senior Breanna Brown came up with the big hit as she doubled over the left fielder's head to score both Robinson and Knauer before scoring herself on an RBI single off the bat of Brittany McKinney.
The Tar Heels added a pair of runs in the fifth when Constance Orr laced an RBI triple into the right field corner and later scored on an RBI groundout by Norris. The senior right-hander settled down after her shaky first to earn her ninth win of the year after allowing just three hits the rest of the way.
Carolina will match up with No. 14 Missouri in a top-15 showdown at 12 noon on Saturday before taking on host Coastal Carolina at 5 p.m.
