North Carolina
Florida State
UNC Completes Sweep En Route To Papa's 1,000th Career Win
March 27, 2011 | Softball
March 27, 2011
CHAPEL HILL --- Lori Spingola pitched a complete-game shutout and Kelli Wheeler belted a lead off home run to give North Carolina a 4-0 win over Florida State Sunday at Anderson Stadium. The win improves UNC to 5-1 in ACC play and 22-12 overall, marking head coach Donna J. Papa's 1,000th career victory.
Spingola (18-8) picked up her third win of the series and seventh shutout of 2011. The freshman continues to impress in the circle, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts.
At the plate, Wheeler paced UNC with her team-best seventh home run. Ally Blake posted two hits, including a two-run home run, and two RBI. Haleigh Dickey added a single and RBI, while Brittany McKinney notched a bunt single.
Spingola wriggled out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first. The freshman allowed a pair of hits and issued a walk, but ended the frame with a groundout to keep FSU off the board.
Wheeler catapulted a leadoff solo home run over the center field fence to give UNC a quick 1-0 lead. Blake crushed a double off the top of the right field to chase Seminoles starter Morgan Bullock. Newly inserted pitcher Sarah Hamilton quickly got out of the inning, but Carolina owned a 1-0 lead after one.
The Seminoles threatened again in the fourth frame placing a runner in scoring position at second base with just one out. Spingola halted the threat with a big strikeout and a fly out to Elisha Elliott in right field, preserving the 1-0 lead.
Carolina stretched their lead to 2-0 in the fifth frame. Elliott reached on a error and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. Dickey then uncorked a single off the center field wall to score Elliott.
Hamilton then begun to labor in the circle issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases. The senior escaped the jam with a pop out and strikeout, but not before the Tar Heels could tack on another run.
A two-run home run off the bat of Blake extended the Carolina lead to 4-0 in the sixth. The junior cranked her sixth home run of the year to give Carolina all the insurance runs it would need. Spingola tossed a perfect seventh frame to seal the win.
With the victory, head coach Donna J. Papa won her 1,000th career game - a feat only 11 NCAA Division I coaches' have ever accomplished. The winngiest coach in UNC and ACC history has led Carolina to eight straight NCAA appearances. The sweep is Carolina's first ever over Florida State in school history.
Carolina will be back in action Wednesday traveling to Radford for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. For more UNC softball updates check back in at TarHeelBlue.com.
