University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Elon
Seven-Run Sixth Leads Tar Heels Past Phoenix, 12-6
March 10, 2016 | Softball
Elon, N.C. – The Tar Heels fell behind after taking an early lead, but exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth to slug past Elon, 12-6. With the win, UNC enters ACC play with an even 10-10 record, while Elon drops to 8-11.
“I'm excited about the fact that we came back in the sixth and seventh innings, that we finished, and that we had solid hits back to back,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “We put the ball in play and we kept on battling up there, so I thought we did a really good job in the late innings. We had a lot of good things, but we still have to clean up our defense and just play a little more aggressively than we have been.”
Carolina erupted for 11 hits in the game, scoring a season-high 12 runs, 10 of which came in the final two innings. Taylor Wike led the Tar Heels at the plate, reaching base all five times with a single, a home run, two walks and a hit by pitch, scoring three runs. Lauren Fuller went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double and three RBIs, and Katie Bailiff came through with a pinch hit bases-clearing double to jumpstart the seven-run sixth. Kendra Lynch and Leah Murray also had multi-hit games, including a double for Lynch.
“I thought Taylor did a great job at the plate today,” said Papa. “Kendra did a nice job, and we had a lot of people contribute. Katie came off the bench with a key hit, and then Kiwi was aggressive on the base paths.”
Lynch captured her eighth win of the season (8-7) with a complete game in the circle, allowing just two earned runs despite 11 hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Kiandra Mitchum (0-3) gave up 10 runs, five earned, on nine hits and five walks over 6.2 innings. Abby Barker entered in the sixth but allowed two runs on two hits and two walks, recording just one out, before Mitchum returned to finish out the game.
“I'm really proud,” said Papa. “Kendra gutted this one out. I'm sure from our weekend in California, these midweeks are tough. It wasn't necessarily her best performance, but at the same time, I thought she did a great job when we needed her.”
The first three Tar Heel batters of the game reached base on two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Lynch came through with a single up the middle, driving in Destiny DeBerry, but a strong throw to the plate got Wike for the first out. The next two batters flew out, as Elon escaped the jam with only one run allowed.
Emily Roper led off the bottom of the second with a double to the base of the wall in left, and an RBI single by Jenna Reilly drove her home as Elon tied the score at one. Lynch then drew a pair of comebackers to dodge a big inning and keep the Phoenix from taking the lead.
It did not take long for Carolina to retake the lead, as Wike led off the third with a home run to right field. However, Elon pushed back for two unearned runs in the bottom of the third to take its first lead in the game, 3-2.
“I think we could have put them away a little bit earlier,” said Papa. “We had opportunities in the first and second innings, and we have to find a way to dig down and hold ourselves to a higher standard and not let teams off the hook.”
Elon added two more in the bottom of the fifth, as Kara Shutt led off with a single and Roper followed with a walk. Ashtyn Foddrell got to first on an error by Kristen Brown at short, then Carey Million drive in Shutt on a single to center. A great throw by Aquilla Mateen caught Roper at the plate, then Jillian Ferraro fired to third for a double play, catching Foddrell. Nevertheless, Kristin Hoover made it 5-2 with another RBI single before a fly out ended the inning.
The Tar Heels erupted for seven runs in the top of the sixth, flipping the score to take a 9-5 lead. Carolina loaded the bases to start the inning with a walk, an error and a single. Ferraro drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, then Berlynne Delamora drew a walk to re-load the bases. Katie Bailiff then came through with a pinch hit bases-clearing double to give UNC a 6-5 lead. Elon made a pitching change, but Barker walked the first two batters, then Lynch added to the lead with another sac fly. Back-to-back singles by Fuller and Tracy Chandless increased the lead to 9-5, before MItchum returned to the circle to get the final out.
Elon hit three singles to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Lynch got a big strikeout for the second out, but walked in the next batter on four pitches. Million stepped up to the plate representing the go-ahead run, but grounded right to Darby Rosen at third for the final out.
Carolina replied with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh. Mateen and Wike were both hit by a pitch, then Brown grounded to shortstop. Hannah Olson dropped the ball on the transfer, and Mateen sped all the way around to score from second. Fuller then tacked on two more runs with a bloop double that dropped in down the line in left to make it 12-6 UNC.
The Tar Heel defense returned to the field in the bottom of the seventh and turned in a perfect 1-2-3 inning, including a great diving catch by Brown down the foul line for the first out, to close out the 12-6 victory.
“I think that catch by Kristen Brown in the seventh inning was outstanding,” said Papa. “We needed something like that to help us finish.”
Carolina returns home this weekend to host Syracuse University in a three-game series to start ACC play. The Tar Heels begin with a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. finale on Sunday. Fans will have the opportunity to help the team raise money for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center with a silent auction and other events as a part of softball's Cancer Awareness Weekend.
