University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
IUPUI
Tar Heels Trounce Jaguars, 10-0
February 28, 2016 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL – The Carolina Tar Heels were firing on all cylinders on Saturday afternoon, racing past IUPUI, 10-0, in five innings behind double-digit hits and a two-hit gem from Sydney Matzko. With the win, UNC evens its season record to 6-6, while IUPUI falls to 5-7.
“It was definitely a team win – great execution, great energy,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “The team played awesome defense, and it was a lot of fun for me as a coach to have the team execute the way they did. It just opened up a lot of things with their mentality and the approach they had at the plate.”
“Everyone did their part today,” said Kristen Brown. “It was really fun. Coach Papa was really excited with how we performed and it makes it easy when everyone is doing their job. We had good execution on the hits and it just makes it easy when you're having a lot of fun out there.”
After tying the all-time career mark in her second at-bat with a sacrifice fly, Brown set a new program record for RBIs in the bottom of the fourth, crushing a three-run home run to finish the day with 167 RBIs to her name. Already the Tar Heels' career home run leader, the Levittown, New York, native ranks seventh all time in the ACC in both homers and runs batted in.
“That's pretty awesome,” said Brown upon learning she had broken the record. “Knowing how many good players came here before me – just following in their footsteps and surpassing it is pretty cool. It's really an honor.”
“She's a special player,” said Papa. “You don't get many of those to come around in your career. She just has that workman-like approach every day. She comes out to practice and works hard. I'm just really proud of her for staying within herself; she doesn't try to do too much and just plays the way she can play. It's outstanding. I didn't even know that she was ready to break a record today, so I'm really excited for her and couldn't be more proud of somebody.
Darby Rosen got herself out of an early-season slump by connecting for a solo home run in the second then ripping a leadoff double in the fourth.
“I felt very calm today,” said Rosen. “I was very relaxed. My body's feeling really good – I've been in rehab a lot – and today I was feeling extra good. For the first hit to be a homerun is exciting. It gives me so much confidence. I don't even know how many games I played this season without a hit – it stinks and it's not fun. But now I know I can do it, so I have a lot of confidence going into tomorrow.”
Destiny DeBerry also went 2-for-2 and scored two runs, while freshman Kiana Sherlund recorded her first career hit with a double to left. Tracy Chandless drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single, and Lauren Fuller also registered a hit and two RBIs. Taylor Wike got Carolina going at the top of the lineup by tying her career high with a walk in all three plate appearances, scoring twice.
The Tar Heels exhibited tremendous speed on the base paths, stealing eight bases in the game, including three by DeBerry and two each by Wike and Aquilla Mateen. It was the most swipes for the Tar Heels since Feb. 23, 2011, when UNC stole eight bases against UNC Wilmington, while DeBerry is just the fourth Tar Heel since 2005 to steal three bases in a single game.
Sydney Matzko (2-3) hurled a two-hit shutout in the circle with four strikeouts and three walks. Nickole Finch (0-2) started for IUPUI, but left the game after surrendering nine runs on eight hits and three walks in 3.0+ innings. Erica Tharp got the final three outs of the game after allowing one run on two hits.
“Sydney did a really nice job, because they have some really good hitters,” said Papa. “I thought she did a good job mixing her pitches.”
The Tar Heels attacked the Jaguars early for three runs in the top of the first. Wike and Mateen quickly got in scoring position with a walk, a single and a stolen base, then Fuller roped a two-run single through the right side to send them both across the plate. After hustling to second on a wild pitch, Fuller was replaced on the base paths by Dani Garcielita, and Kendra Lynch drove her in by hooking an RBI single down the first base line.
Rosen added to the Tar Heels' lead to lead off the second, driving her first base hit of the season over the wall in right center for her seventh career home run. DeBerry then beat out an infield single and Wike drew her second walk. The pair executed a double steal, and Brown drove home DeBerry on a sacrifice fly.
The Tar Heels blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs on five hits to score in double digits for the first time this season. Rosen led off with a double to left center, and a single and a walk by DeBerry and Wike loaded the bases. Tracy Chandless came through with a pinch hit, two-run single, then Brown crushed a three-run home run to left field, her sixth of the season, to make it 10-0 Carolina.
Matzko shut down IUPUI quickly in the top of the fifth with a pop up and two strikeouts to seal up her first complete-game shutout of the season.
Carolina returns to Anderson Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 28, for the conclusion of the 2016 Carolina Classic. UNC will host Fairfield in the second game of the day at approximately 1 p.m. followed by Georgetown.
