University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Carolina Drops Series Finale With VT, 4-0
April 25, 2010 | Softball
April 25, 2010
LACKSBURG, Va. --- After winning both games of yesterday's doubleheader, North Carolina Softball dropped the series finale to Virginia Tech (20-31, 6-12 Atlantic Coast Conference), 4-0, at Tech Softball Park on Sunday afternoon. The loss drops Carolina's record this season to 38-16 and gives the Tar Heels an 11-10 final record in the ACC regular season. Senior Amber Johnson pitched 2.1 innings of relief for Carolina and allowed only one run on two hits.
Senior Danielle Spaulding (18-4) received the start for Carolina after pitching six shut out innings in the 8-0 win over Virginia Tech yesterday. In today's game, Spaulding lasted 3.2 innings and allowed three runs (only one was earned) in the loss.
Carolina only gathered two hits during the game, both singles by Brittany McKinney and Spaulding, against the Hokies' Kenzie Roark (7-18).
After two scoreless innings from both teams, Virginia Tech's Richelle McGarva connected on a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Hokies an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
In the following inning, the Hokies' catcher Courtney Liddle increased Virginia Tech's lead to 3-0 with a solo shot to left field.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, North Carolina turned to senior Amber Johnson to relieve Spaulding. Johnson pitched the rest of the game and yielded one run on two hits and struck out three batters while keeping the Tar Heels in the game.
Brittany McKinney singled through the left side to lead off the fifth inning for Carolina's first hit of the game. Freshman Tisha Mahon, pinch running for McKinney, stole second base, her 18th of the season during the next at bat. Mahon would advance to third later in the inning, but Carolina could not score her and remained scoreless after five innings.
The Hokies added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice bunt down the first baseline. The RBI bunt extended the Hokies' lead to 4-0 after six innings.
Carolina could not answer in the top of the seventh and dropped the series finale to Virginia Tech, 4-0. The Tar Heels won both games by the scores of 8-0 and 1-0 earlier in the series against the Hokies.
The Virginia Tech series is the final ACC regular season competition for the Tar Heels, who wrap up the year with an 11-10 record. Carolina next faces Radford at home in a make up game from earlier in the year.
After the Thursday doubleheader vs. Radford starting at 3 p.m. Carolina returns back to Blacksburg, Va. for the ACC Tournament on May 14th-16th.
