North Carolina
Elon
Tar Heels Topple Elon 11-4
April 20, 2011 | Softball
April 20, 2011
CHAPEL HILL ---- Seniors Brittany McKinney, Brittany Robinson and Dani Manko combined for six RBI to carry North Carolina over Elon 11-4 Wednesday night at Anderson Stadium. Freshman Lori Spingola twirled ten strikeouts to improve UNC to 28-19 overall.
Spingola (22-14) allowed one run on two hits over 6.2 inning of work. The Atlanta, Ga., native fanned 10 batters - her fifth double-digit strikeout output this season. Sara Buchholz allowed two earned runs over a third of an inning.
McKinney led UNC at the plate with a 2-for-4 and three RBI performance. Robinson and Manko combined for a hit apiece and three RBI. Logan Foulks added a hit and RBI, while Ally Blake registered two RBI walks.
Carolina manufactured five runs on four hits in the first frame. Seniors McKinney and Manko highlighted the big inning, combining to knock in all three runs. Spingola struck out the side in the top half of the second to give UNC a five-run advantage.
Elon starter Erin O'Shea continued to labor in the bottom half of the frame, issuing her second bases loaded walk in as many innings. Robinson then smoked a RBI single up the middle to extend the lead to 7-0.
Tomeka Watson lead off the top of the fourth win a double to left field. Watson then swiped third and scored on an errant Tar Heel throw. The Phoenix tacked on three more in the top of the sixth highlighted by a Caitlin McGowan two RBI double. UNC owned a 7-4 lead entering the bottom of the frame.
UNC uncorked four runs on three hits in the bottom half of the fifth to take an 11-4 advantage. Four errors charged to Elon and a McKinney two RBI single provided the runs for the Tar Heels. With the run support, Spingola retired six straight to seal the Carolina victory.
Carolina improves to 14-0 when scoring six or more runs in 2011. Spingola moves into tenth place all-time in single seasons school history in strikeouts (233) and innings pitched (219.2).
Up next for UNC is a three-game set beginning Friday with Boston College. The Tar Heels will honor the 2011 senior class in the series finale Saturday.
