North Carolina
Boston College
UNC, Spingola Blank Boston College 9-0
May 13, 2011 | Softball
May 13, 2011
ATLANTA, GA. --- Lori Spingola tossed a no-hit shutout and Kelli Wheeler walloped a grand slam to give North Carolina a 9-0 win over Boston College in the first round of the ACC Tournament Friday afternoon at Mewborn Field. The Tar Heels improve to 33-20 overall and advance to face Maryland Saturday at 1 p.m. in the semifinals of the league tournament.
Spingola (26-15) tossed her second career no-hitter en route to her 11th complete game shutout of the season. The Atlanta, Ga., native looked at home striking out 11 Eagle batters. The 11 strikeouts are the fifth time this season Spingola has registered 10 or more punch-outs in an outing. The freshman is now just one win shy of tying the single season school record for victories.
Wheeler led UNC at the plate with a pair of hits and four RBI. The grand slam was Wheeler's 11th home run of the season. Haleigh Dickey added a two-run home run and Logan Foulks registered a two-RBI double. Ally Blake, Brittany McKinney and Brittany Robinson all added a hit apiece.
The Tar Heels got off to a strong start as Spingola struck out the side in the first. Carolina grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame courtesy of a Foulks two-RBI double down the left field line. The double scored Wheeler and pinch-runner Tisha Mahon.
UNC tacked on two more runs in the third on a two-run home run off the bat of Dickey. The sophomore sent her team-best 12th home run over the right field wall to push Carolina in front 4-0. Spingola remained strong the in the circle allowing no hits with six strikeouts through three.
The rookie continued to dominate in the circle tacking on another five strikeouts to bring her total to 11 through five frames. The Atlanta, Ga., native walked three, but did allow a hit to keep the Eagles off the board.
Carolina erupted for five runs in the bottom half of the fifth to take a 9-0 victory. Pinch-runner Paige Williams motored home from first to score on a Blake bunt single and two base Eagle error. After a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs Wheeler stepped in the box. The junior catapulted a grand slam over the left center field wall to provide the Tar Heels with a walk off nine-run victory after five innings.
The grand slam is the first the Tar Heels have hit all season. Spingola's no-hitter is her second of the 2011, the rookie shoved a perfect game Feb. 27 against Penn State. The no-hitter is the first thrown by a Tar Heel in the ACC Tournament since Danielle Spaulding tossed a perfect game in the first round against Virginia in 2008.
UNC will meet Maryland Saturday at 1 p.m. in the semifinals of the league tournament. The winner will advance to the ACC Championship game Sunday at 1 p.m. from Mewborn Field.
