University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Carolina Splits Doubleheader With Maryland
March 23, 2014 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina (15-12, 8-2 ACC) split its doubleheader with Maryland Saturday, taking game one 11-5 before the Terrapins came back for a 12-11 win in game two.
Amber Parrish and Kristen Brown combined for seven RBIs for the day, while Lori Spingola earned her 100th career victory with game one's win.
Game One
Maryland got on the board first, as Amanda McCann led off with a triple down the right field line and then scored on an RBI single by Jessica Warner.
The Tar Heels answered quickly though, plating three runs in the bottom frame. Aquilla Mateen led off with a bunt single and Amy Nece followed with a walk. With two runners on, Kristen Brown, Kati Causey and Kendra Lynch each hit RBI singles to put the Tar Heels up 3-0.
The Terps took a short lead in the top of the fifth after Candice Beards hit a three-run homer out center, but Carolina once again answered in the bottom half. After Nece and Brown hit back-to-back singles, each advanced a base on a wild pitch before Kelly drew a walk. With bases loaded, Parrish singled to right center to plate two runs. After Causey singled, bases were loaded once again for Lauren Walker, who drew a walk to force a third run home.
Nece led off the sixth with a single through the left side, which Brown followed with her eighth homer of the year, a two-run shot to right center. Kelly then ripped a triple to right and scored on Causey's second RBI single of the game. After Tracy Chandless came in to run for Causey, Rosen belted her fifth homer of the year to left center, adding another pair of runs for Carolina.
Maryland added a run in the seventh on an RBI double from Beards, but the Tar Heels closed out the inning to wrap up the 11-5 win.
Lori Spingola pitched the complete game, earning her 100th career victory as she struck out four and gave up nine hits.
Game Two
The Tar Heels rolled into game two, striking first as Nece and Brown each walked and then scored as Amber Parrish reached on a fielder's choice.
Maryland evened the game in the second when Hannah Dewey hit a two-run single to right, but Carolina came back with five runs in the bottom of the second. Darby Rosen and Erin Satterfield drew walks, and an RBI bunt single by Mateen plated the first run. Amy Nece then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Satterfield. After Brown drew a walk, a throwing error by the Terrapins along with some stellar base running led to Mateen and Brown avoiding a run down and Mateen scoring. Parrish then singled, driving in two to put UNC up 7-2.
Jessica Warner sent a three-run homer over right center in the third, and a two-run single to right by Beards in the fourth evened the game again at 7-7.
Carolina answered again when Kelly and Lynch each belted two-run homers in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Tar Heels back the lead, 11-7.
Juli Strange hit a solo shot to left in the fifth, and a pair of hits and a Tar Heel error in the sixth scored two runs for Maryland and cut UNC's lead to just one run.
In the seventh, the Terrapins took the upper hand as Shannon Bustillos hit a two-run homer out left, but the Tar Heels couldn't answer in their final at-bat.
Spingola (10-7) took the loss in game two, pitching the final 3.1 innings and giving up six hits and five runs with two strikeouts.
Up Next: Game three of the series will be played at 10 a.m. on Sunday, moved up from noon due to the threat of rain. The game will be streamed on GoHeels.com.
