North Carolina
Boston College
UNC Sweeps Boston College On Senior Day
April 23, 2011 | Softball
April 23, 2011
CHAPEL HILL --- Lori Spingola tossed 12 shutout innings to lead North Carolina to a doubleheader sweep of Boston College Saturday at Anderson Stadium. UNC claimed game one 4-0 and game two 6-2. The Tar Heels celebrated the senior class of Dani Manko, Brittany McKinney and Brittany Robinson at the final home game at Anderson Stadium.
Game One
Spingola (23-14) tossed seven shutout innings en route to her third complete-game shutout of 2011. The Atlanta, Ga., native struck out seven and allowed just three hits.
At the plate, classmate Amy Nece paced UNC with a pair of singles and a stolen base. Haleigh Dickey added two hits, Logan Foulks posted a RBI single and Ally Blake registered a two RBI double. McKinney recorded her team-best seventh double to round out the UNC attack.
The Tar Heels manufactured three runs on two hits and two Eagle errors in the first frame. Blake belted a two RBI double into the right center field gap to highlight the big first frame for the Tar Heels.
Spingola was sharp in the circle through the first four innings. The freshman fanned four and allowed just two hits. Third baseman Brittany Robinson assisted UNC in the field, making a diving catch in foul territory and anchoring a key double play.
Carolina tacked on another run in the bottom half of the fifth. Nece reached on an infield single and later motored around to third on a stolen base. Foulks knocked in Nece with a RBI single up the middle, as UNC led 4-0 after five.
Spingola retired six in a row to complete the shutout victory, as Carolina blanked Boston College 4-0.
Game Two
Spingola (24-14) hurled five scoreless frames en route to her second win of the day. The freshman moves into fifth place all-time in single season school history with 24 wins in the circle. The 24 wins are the most in a season since Lisa Norris earned 27 victories in 2007.
Classmate Sara Buchholz (S, 1) allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits to earn her first collegiate save. The Miami, Fla., native pitched the last two frames of game two.
Nece added two more hits in game two to lead Carolina at the plate. The senior trio of Manko, McKinney and Robinson combined for four hits and three RBI in game two. Foulks and Blake added a hit and RBI.
The Tar Heels struck again in the first frame, scoring one run on two hits. Nece hustled out a bunt single and later moved to second on a fielders' choice. Classmate Foulks then parachuted a two-out RBI single into left center field to push Carolina in front 1-0 after one.
Spingola picked up where she left off in game two tossing three perfect innings. The Eagles found their first hit in the top half of the fourth. Nicole D'Argento led off the fourth with a double down the left field line. Spingola wriggled out of the inning with a pop out, strikeout and foul out to preserve the one-run UNC lead.
The Tar Heels added an insurance run in the fourth. After a walk issued to Foulks, pinch runner Chelsey Butler moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. McKinney then laced a RBI single up the middle to score Butler and extend the Carolina lead to 2-0.
The Eagles presented their greatest scoring threat in the top half of the fifth frame. Boston College strung together consecutive two-out hits and loaded the bases with a walk. Spingola halted the threat with a groundout to keep the 2-0 UNC lead intact.
Buchholz entered to pitch in the sixth. A solo home run off the bat of Brittany Wilkins gave the Eagles their first run of the day. The freshman worked through the frame to hold the 2-1 UNC advantage.
Carolina responded with another run in the bottom half of the sixth. Dickey uncorked a double into the left center field gap and pinch-runner Paige Williams then swiped third. Blake followed ripping a RBI single through the right side to score Williams.
Two Eagle errors prolonged the inning allowing seniors Manko and Robinson to belt back-to-back RBI hits. Manko dropped a single into left center and Robinson cranked a double off the center field wall, stretching the UNC lead to 6-1.
Buchholz closed out an eventful seventh, allowing one run on one hit and two UNC errors. The freshman sealed the 6-2 win for her first career save.
The Tar Heels finish the 2011 season with a 16-4 mark at home. Carolina softball will break for exams over the next two weeks and return to action May 7 at Maryland.
