University of North Carolina Athletics
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Tar Heels Shutdown Seahawks In Twinbill Sweep
February 23, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 23, 2011
WILMINGTON, N.C. --- Freshmen pitchers Lori Spingola and Sara Buchholz each tossed complete-game shutouts to lead North Carolina over UNC Wilmington 7-0 and 8-0, Wednesday afternoon at Boseman Field. Four different Tar Heels homered in the doubleheader sweep to improve UNC to 6-4 in 2011.
Game 1
Spingola (5-3) pitched a complete-game three-hit shutout to lead the Tar Heels over the Seahawks 7-0 in game one. The Atlanta, Ga., native struck out a rookie season-best 14 batters and did not render a walk in her fifth win of the season.
Carolina manufactured three runs in the third frame on four hits. Haleigh Dickey, Kelsey Green and Cara Vitale all registered RBI singles to push the Tar Heels in front 3-0. Six Tar Heels reached safely in the inning, including four straight.
Spingola was downright dominant in the early going striking out seven in the first three innings. The freshman fanned the side in the second inning and caught three Seahawks looking at a called third strike.
Ally Blake gave UNC a 4-0 advantage with a RBI single in the fourth. Kelli Wheeler reached for the third consecutive time after cranking a triple down the right field line. Blake then singled to left field to bring Wheeler across the plate.
The Tar Heels blew open the score in the sixth frame after a three-run home run off the bat of Wheeler. The Marietta, Ga., native belted the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to drive in Paige Williams and Tisha Mahon. The home run was the first of the year for the junior.
The seven runs were all Spingola needed. The freshman struck out four batters in the sixth and seventh frames to seal the shutout win. Spingola did not allow a hit until the third frame en route to her first career double-digit strikeout effort.
Game 2
Buchholz (1-1) picked up where her classmate led off, hurling a complete-game five-hit shutout for a 8-0 win in game two. The Miami, Fla., product allowed three hits in the second, but still did not allow a single run. Freshman right-fielder Amy Nece threw out a Seahawk attempting to score in the second to assist Buchholz out of the jam.
Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the second frame on a Brittany Robinson two-RBI single. Pinch-runners Mahon and Elisha Elliott swiped bags to place runners on second and third with no outs. Robinson ripped a base hit up the middle to give the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead.
Robinson put the Tar Heels up 3-0 with a lead off home run in the fourth frame. The senior tattooed a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for her first home run in 2011. After a walk issued to Logan Foulks, Chelsey Butler entered to pitch run and single-handily manufactured a run. The speedy sophomore swiped second, third and home to give Carolina a 4-0 lead. Carolina swiped eight bases in game two, including three from Butler.
Carolina scored two runs apiece via the long ball in the fifth and sixth frames to extend the lead to 8-0. Dickey, who cranked three home runs against the Seahawks last season, belted a two-run shot over the left field fence. Blake followed suit in the sixth cranking a two-run shot of her own.
Buchholz remained strong in the circle limiting the Seahawks to just five total hits. Buchholz (1-1) finished the day allowing no runs on five hits with three strikeouts to just one walk.
Carolina returns to action Friday hosting Georgetown at 6 p.m. at Anderson Stadium in the 2011 home opener. The Tar Heels encourage fans to attend Thursday's open practice at Anderson Stadium prior to the 2011 Carolina Classic.
