North Carolina
Florida State
UNC Falls To Florida State In ACC Title Game
May 15, 2011 | Softball
May 15, 2011
ATLANTA, GA. --- Florida State's Sarah Hamilton pitched a complete-game three-hitter to lead the Seminoles over North Carolina 4-1 Sunday in the ACC Tournament Championship from Mewborn Stadium. Brittany Robinson posted a RBI double, but the Tar Heels fall to 34-21 overall. Carolina will learn their postseason fate Sunday night as the NCAA Selection Show airs at 10 p.m. on ESPNU.
Lori Spingola (27-16) suffers the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits. The freshman struck out seven and issued three walks. The Atlanta, Ga., native set a new single season school record for innings pitched with 267.1 on the year.
Robinson led a quiet UNC attack with a double and RBI. Amy Nece added a base hit and Kelli Wheeler registered a double. Carolina managed just seven base runners the entire day.
Tournament MVP and Florida State starter Hamilton stymied the Tar Heels. The senior finished with five strikeouts and allowed two walks.
After a scoreless first frame, Florida State grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second. A solo home run over the left field fence off the bat of Robin Ahrberg gave the Seminoles a 1-0 advantage. Courtney Senas added a RBI double as Florida State registered five hits in the second.
Spingola settled in after an eventful second inning to toss three scoreless frames. At the plate, the Tar Heels could not string together any hits in the middle innings. A Nece base hit was all Carolina could put together through the first four innings.
The Tar Heels threatened in the top of the fifth after Hamilton hit Ally Blake to place the lead off runner at first. A well-executed sacrifice bunt from Brittany McKinney moved pinch-runner Tisha Mahon to second. Robinson then drew a walk to place runners at first and second with no outs. Hamilton induced a 4-3 double play to thwart the Tar Heels best scoring chance and end the inning. Florida State owned a 2-0 lead after five frames.
Wheeler registered the Tar Heels second hit of the day in the top of the sixth with a double high off the center field wall. Hamilton wriggled out of the jam with a groundout and big strikeout to preserve the two-run Seminole lead. Hamilton needed just 64 pitches through the first six shutout innings.
The Seminoles stretched their lead to 4-0 in the bottom half of the six. A two-run home run off the bat of Senas provided Hamilton with some insurance runs in the circle.
The Tar Heels staged a rally in the final frame. A leadoff walk to Logan Foulks and McKinney's team-high 14th hit by pitch this season put two base runners on base. Robinson then smacked a double over the Seminole center fielder to score pinch-runner Paige Williams. Hamilton hung tough and struck out the next two Tar Heels to give Florida State their 11th ACC Championship.
North Carolina will learn their NCAA Tournament fate Sunday at 10 p.m. on ESPNU. For more UNC softball updates check back in at TarHeelBlue.com.
