University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Oregon
No. 13 Oregon Upends UNC 1-0
March 4, 2011 | Softball
March 4, 2011
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA --- No. 13 Oregon scored on a RBI bunt to edge North Carolina 1-0 in eight innings Friday in the opening game of the 2011 Citrus Classic. Lori Spingola took the tough luck loss as UNC falls to 11-6 on the year.
Spingola (9-4) tossed 7 1/3 strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits with six strikeouts. The Atlanta, Ga., native used a pair of double plays and several timely strikeouts to remain unscathed through seven innings. Back-to-back bunts in the eighth allowed the international tie break rule to come in effect, plating one run for the Ducks.
At the plate, sophomore Haleigh Dickey posted two of the Tar Heels' three hits. Tisha Mahon reached on an infield single to round out the UNC attack. Carolina stranded six runners in the loss.
Spingola wriggled out of a pair of jams early with big strikeouts. The Ducks placed runners at second in the first two frames, but the freshman ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts. Spingola allowed three hits and fanned three after the first three frames.
Oregon's Jessica Moore(8-1) was equally as strong in the circle. The right-hander struck out six through the first four frames of work. The Tar Heels posed a threat in the top of the fourth with runners at first and second with just one out. Moore used a strikeout and pop out to end the inning.
The Tar Heels used a timely 5-3 double play to escape the fifth frame. Christie Nieto popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt that third baseman Brittany Robinson snagged and then fired to first to complete the double play. After five innings, the Ducks and Tar Heels were scoreless combining to leave seven runners on base.
After both pitchers continued to keep the game scoreless through seven frames, the international tie breaker came into effect. The Tar Heels failed to capitalize on a runner starting at second base going down in order.
The Ducks used back-to-back bunts to plate the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third, Jessica Moore bunted right back to Spingola in the circle, but Kaitlin Vitek was able to cross the plate.
Up next for UNC is a 3 p.m. game against Temple from the ESPN World Wide Sports Complex. Carolina will challenge Notre Dame at 11:30 a.m. aired live on ESPN3.com
