University of North Carolina Athletics
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UNC Greensboro
No. 23/24 North Carolina Use Eight-Run Sixth Inning To Take First Seed In Carolina Classic
February 20, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2010
Chapel Hill, N.C. --- An eight-run sixth inning led by an Anna Roberts grand slam shot over the center field fence powered the No. 23/24 North Carolina Tar Heels (5-3) over UNC Greensboro (1-6), 8-0, in the final game during pool play of the Carolina Classic. Carolina produced a collaborative effort of marvelous pitching from seniors Danielle Spaulding and Amber Johnson. With the win, Carolina advances to the Championship Game against Saint Joseph's at 1:30 tomorrow.
Spaulding started the game and picked up where she left off against Delaware yesterday (a no-hitter and 16 strike out performance) striking out the first eight batters she faced. The southpaw was once again dominating, striking out eleven batters over four innings pitched.
The Tar Heel offense could not find its groove early against UNC Greensboro Spartan pitcher Amber Harrell. With the game plan of not giving Carolina anything to hit, Harrell shut the Heels out for the first five innings. Despite allowing nine walks, base runners were neutralized once in scoring territory by the senior Spartan pitcher.
In the fifth inning Amber Johnson came in to relieve Spaulding in the circle. Johnson would pitch the next two innings gathering two strikeouts while only yielding one walk. Both Johnson and Spaulding allowed a hit and neither walked a batter.
Today's pitching performance is common for the Tar Heels so far this season. The team ERA through eight games is a meager 1.80. This tournament has been much of the same as Carolina has only allowed three runs (all vs. St. Joseph's) in three games.
The floodgates finally opened for the Tar Heels in the sixth inning. It began with two walks to Brittany Robinson and Constance Orr. Two freshmen, Tisha Mahon and Elisha Elliot, were summoned to pinch run respectively for Robinson and Orr. Next up, Stephanie Murad hit a slow-roller to second base that once handled cleanly was thrown over the first baseman's head out of the field of play scoring both Mahon and Elliot. The next batter, Kelli Wheeler walked advancing Murad to second in the process. UNC Greensboro brought in a relief pitcher Raeanne Hanks to attempt to quiet the Heel's rally. The first batter Hanks faced, Kelsey Green, loaded the bases from a fielder's choice error at third base. Freshman Haleigh Dickey pinch hit for Christine Knauer and walked in Murad to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead. With the bases still juiced, Anna Roberts made the play of the game, rocking a grand slam over the center field fence. The home run gave the Tar Heels a 7-0 lead. The inning continued with Tisha Mahon displaying her speed on an infield hit and then stealing second base, beating the throw by a wide margin. Catcher Ally Blake would eventually drive in Mahon from a single to center field to win the game for the Tar Heels.
With a game that looked like a possible extra innings affair before the sixth inning, the game quickly evolved into early stoppage due to the Eight-Run-Ahead Rule.
UNC Greensboro next takes on Delaware at 11:00 a.m. in the Bronze Game. Delaware won the first game, 8-7, on a game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Carolina advances to the Championship Game vs. St. Joseph's tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. St. Joseph's gave the Tar Heels the toughest match up of all the round-robin games with the Tar Heels escaping, 6-3. St. Joseph's is the only team to score a run against the Tar Heels in the Carolina Classic.
