University of North Carolina Athletics
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Northwestern
Spaulding Pitches Gem As Carolina Wins, 3-1, Over Northwestern
March 5, 2010 | Softball
March 5, 2010
Fullerton, Calif. --- Senior pitcher Danielle Spaulding delivered in the circle and at the plate as the No. 20 (11-3) North Carolina Tar Heels beat the (6-9) Northwestern Wildcats, 3-1. Spaulding pitched a complete game, holding Northwestern to one run and struck out 14 batters as the Tar Heels win, 3-1. With the bat, Spaulding blasted a pitch over the left-center fence in the first inning to give the Tar Heels' a lead never to be relinquished.
Christine Knauer led off the game offensively for the Tar Heels with a walk on four pitches. Two wild pitches advanced her to third and in scoring position for Carolina. Danielle Spaulding brought Knauer home courtesy of a two-run shot to left-center giving Carolina a 2-0 lead. The two-time ACC Player of the Year now has four home runs on the year. Ally Blake continued the inning for the Heels by walking on a full-count. Freshman Chelsea Butler pinch ran for Blake advancing to second on a wild pitch. First baseman Constance Orr followed by walking on four pitches. The fourth wild pitch of the inning for Northwestern's Lauren Delaney advanced both runners to second and third base. Next up, Brittany McKinney defended the plate before striking out on a change up, ending the inning for Carolina with a 2-0 lead.
Spaulding again started strong, recording the first eight outs of the game courtesy of strikeouts. With the win, the two-time ACC Player of the Year is now 6-1 on the season. Spaulding finished the game with 14 punch-outs. With today's performance, Spaulding has now struck out at least 10 batters in six straight starts.
Northwestern fought back, starting off the fourth inning with a solo home run, by Adrienne Monka to bring the score to 2-1. The center field shot, did not affect Spaulding who retired the next three Wildcats, two from strike outs, to keep the Tar Heels' lead.
After Carolina's hot first inning, the Tar Heel bats cooled off, as the next nine batters would go down in order.
In the bottom of the fifth, Stephanie Murad worked the count before walking on an illegal pitch. Freshman Tisha Mahon pinch ran for the senior right fielder. After an illegal pitch advanced Mahon to second base, Dani Manko advanced her to third on an infield grounder. Cara Vitale pinch hit for Knauer, who pounded a pitch to deep right field - off of the fence - for a double. The run gave the Tar Heels a 3-1 lead. Knauer re-entered to run for Vitale on second. Anna Roberts singled up the middle, but Knauer was thrown out advancing to home.
In the top of seventh, with Carolina leading 3-1, Spaulding struck out all three batters to preserve a win for the Tar Heels.
Carolina next faces (5-6) Indiana at 4:30 EST in the DeMarini Invitational.
