University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
No. 18 Carolina Holds On For 2-1 Win
March 22, 2009 | Softball
March 22, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 18 North Carolina softball team held on to a 2-1 win Sunday afternoon in College Park, Md. as the Tar Heels took down the host Maryland Terrapins (14-14, 0-3 ACC) to improve to 26-7 on the year and 4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Danielle Spaulding earned her 11th win of the year and Lisa Norris notched a three-out save for the Tar Heels. Constance Orr and Emily Troup each tallied RBIs in the win.
After three scoreless innings to open the contest, the Tar Heels struck for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Danielle Spaulding led off the inning by reaching on an error by the shortstop before Whitney Allen drew a walk to put a pair of runners on with nobody out. Anna Roberts dropped down a picture perfect bunt to move both runners up before Emily Troup hit a ball deep in the hole that she was able to leg out for an infield single scoring Spaulding on the play.
Freshman Constance Orr made it 2-0 with a fly ball to center that plated Allen from third with a sacrifice fly. Another Maryland error put runners on first and second for pinch hitter Kelli Wheeler who battled to a full count before drawing a base on balls to load the bases for Breanna Brown. The senior saw a plethora of pitches as well on her way to a full count before being set down on strikes ending the inning.
Carolina looked to tack on a few more runs in the fifth when Brittany McKinney led off the inning with a double to right center. A four-pitch walk to Danielle Spaulding put a pair of runners on but three straight outs ended the Tar Heel threat and put the Tar Heels back in the field.
Spaulding was dominant all day long for Carolina in her second start in as many days. Despite a leadoff walk in the first, the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native struck out the next three batters to end the first. A hit batter put the leadoff runner on again in the second before Spaulding rang up the next three batters to quickly get her total to six. Spaulding struck out the side in the third and followed that up with a 1-2-3 inning and two more strikeouts in the fourth.
The Terps would break up the no-no in the bottom of the fifth on a bunt single that dropped over the head of Spaulding putting runners at first and second after a one out walk. A pop out and the 13th strikeout of the day ended the late game threat and kept Spaulding's shutout intact.
The shutout would not last long however as Maryland struck for a run in the bottom of the sixth when the Terps finally got to starter Danielle Spaulding. Three straight singles put the run on the board as Spaulding faced adversity for the first time on the afternoon. Back-to-back strikeouts earned Spaulding the first two outs of the inning before she issued a walk to load the bases for Devon Williams who popped out to Brittany McKinney in foul territory to end the threat.
Senior Lisa Norris came on to close the door in the seventh as she picked up her second save of the season and the ninth of her career. Norris allowed a base runner in the inning with two down but was able to escape any danger and give Carolina the three-game sweep. Spaulding improves to 11-2 on the year with the win.
The Tar Heels will return to action on Tuesday when they take on No. 17 Ohio State in a single top 25 contest at Anderson Stadium set to begin at 5 p.m.
