University of North Carolina Athletics
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Tar Heels Move On To Second Round At ACC Tournament With 7-1 Win Over NC State
May 15, 2010 | Softball
May 15, 2010
Box Score
BLACKSBURG, Va. --- Senior Danielle Spaulding pitched a complete game, yielding only one run, as the University of North Carolina (40-17) advanced to the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a 7-1 victory over NC State (28-27) at Tech Softball Park on Friday night. Kelli Wheeler, Brittany McKinney and Brittany Robinson all hit home runs for Carolina in the victory. The Tar Heels move on to face Georgia Tech tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
Spaulding, who was named ACC Pitcher of the Year earlier today, pitched the complete game and held a no-hitter until two outs in the seventh inning. The three-time All-ACC first team member earned the win to improve her record to 19-4 on the year. Spaulding struck out eight batters and faced only 22 batters in the game.
Offensively, the Tar Heels collected 12 hits and six walks in the seven-run effort. Spaulding, Wheeler and Knauer all compiled multiple hits in the victory.
Knauer led the Tar Heels with three hits and stole two bases in the win. The first-team All-ACC shortstop leads the ACC with 41 stolen bases on the season. The 3-for-4 performance increases Knauer's batting average to a .358 clip.
Wheeler, a sophomore outfielder, went a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate and added a solo home run to give Carolina the lead. Wheeler leads all Carolina hitters with 12 home runs this season.
McKinney also added a home run, her 11th of the year, and had a game-high three RBIs.
The game was scoreless in the bottom of the third inning with Spaulding at the plate and Knauer on second base with two outs, the game underwent a 47-minute lightning delay. Play resumed at 9:13 p.m.
Wheeler gave Carolina the lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth frame. The scoring continued later in the inning with a three-run home run from junior Brittany McKinney that scored Dani Manko and Anna Roberts to give the Tar Heels a 4-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, Carolina added another home run when Brittany Robinson hit a solo shot to straight-away center field. Carolina added to the lead, later in the inning, when Spaulding grounded up the middle, scoring both Manko and Knauer to give the Tar Heels a 7-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, NC State's Alyssa Allbritten broke up the perfect game with a home run to left field. Allbritten's eighth home run of the season brought the score to 7-1.
With the win, Carolina advances to face Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The Yellow Jackets defeated Boston College 8-0 in the first round today. Tomorrow's game will be streamed live via ACC All Access, available from www.theacc.com.
During the regular season, Georgia Tech defeated Carolina in two-of-three games. The Tar Heels were one of only two ACC teams to defeat the Ramblin' Wreck this season.
