University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Tar Heels Split With Georgia Tech On The Day 1-1; Drop Game One, 16-1, Win Game Two, 8-3
March 20, 2010 | Softball
March 20, 2010
Game 1:
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- The No. 16/20 (19-7) North Carolina Tar Heels allow four home runs to the No. 9/12 (23-3) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as Carolina falls, 16-1, in five innings. The Tar Heels gave up a season-high in runs, hits and home runs as Carolina drops its first game at home this season. Tar Heels shortstop Christine Knauer stole her ACC-leading 20th base in the loss.
Georgia Tech accumulated four home runs during the game from Hope Rush, Kristen Priebe, Kate Kuzma and Caitlin Jordan. Two of the home runs (Priebe and Jordan) were grand slams for the Yellow Jackets. For the year Georgia Tech now has an ACC-leading 58 home runs (next closest NC State with 29).
The 16 runs tie a season-high for the Yellow Jackets, who had previously put up 16 against Seton Hall in the Buzz Classic. The runs allowed is by far the most Carolina has allowed this season, besting the total given up in a Feb. 13 game against LSU (6-3) by 10 runs.
In the first inning, Carolina shortstop Christine Knauer stole her ACC-leading 20th base. The senior has now converted on 20-of-21 attempts this year and leads the ACC by eight stolen bags.
The loss drops Carolina to 2-2 in ACC play on the year and is the first loss Carolina has suffered at home this season.
Game 2:
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- In game two of the day, Ally Blake slams a three-run home run in the first inning as the No. 16/20 (20-7) North Carolina Tar Heels down the No. 9/12 (23-4) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 8-3. Senior Danielle Spaulding added two RBI singles as the Tar Heels gather eight runs and nine hits in the win. Senior Amber Johnson strikes out nine and earns her twelfth win of the year as the Tar Heels resiliently win game two of the day after dropping game one, 16-1. The win over the No. 9 team in the country ties last year's 4-3 victory over the No. 9 California Bears as the all-time highest ranked team ever defeated by Carolina.
After a game one in which the Tar Heels only score one run, Carolina jumped on the Yellow Jackets early, putting four on the board to start the game. Senior Christine Knauer started the first inning by reaching first on an infield single. During the next at bat Knauer extended her ACC-leading stolen base total to 21 taking second base and giving the Tar Heels an early runner in scoring position. Dani Manko followed Knauer and reached by infield single. First baseman Danielle Spaulding put the Tar Heels on the board in the next at bat when she singled up the middle scoring Knauer. The next batter, Ally Blake, brought Manko and pinch runner Elisha Elliott home when she homered to left-center giving the Tar Heels an early 4-0 lead.
Ally Blake continues a recent hot streak that has seen her bat .667 with two home runs and six RBIs in her past five games. In today's game, in addition to the home run, the catcher walked three times, scored two runs and added three RBIs for Carolina.
After two Georgia Tech home runs brought the Yellow Jackets back within striking distance with the score of 6-3, Anna Roberts put the game out of reach, doubling to left-center scoring Spaulding and Blake. The two RBIs bring Roberts' total on the season to 18, second most this season for the Tar Heels.
The senior pitcher Johnson earns her team-leading twelfth win of the year. The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. product strikes out nine and allows three runs on four hits (two home runs) in her second start of the day for Carolina.
With the win over No. 9 Georgia Tech, Carolina ties last year's win over then No. 9 California Bears for the all-time highest ranked team defeated in Carolina history. Earlier this season, Carolina defeated No. 10 ranked Stanford Cardinal, 3-0, in the program's second highest ranked victory. With today's two games versus ranked Georgia Tech, Carolina has now faced 11 ranked opponents (most in ACC) and is 6-5 in those games.
Carolina finishes the weekend series with Georgia Tech tomorrow at 1 p.m.
