University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Coastal Carolina
Strong Offense Leads Tar Heels Past Coastal Carolina, 6-3
March 23, 2016 | Softball
Conway, S.C. – North Carolina plated four runs in the top of the first and never fell behind as UNC defeated Coastal Carolina, 6-3, on Wednesday. Junior pitcher Kendra Lynch went 3-for-3 at the plate and brought a two-hit shutout into the bottom of the seventh to propel the Tar Heels to victory. With the win, UNC improves to 15-14, while Coastal drops to 15-15.
The Tar Heels put together 10 hits in the game, led by Lynch with three singles, a walk and an RBI. Kristen Brown started the scoring with an RBI double, walked, stole second and scored twice, and Berlynne Delamora also doubled and walked. Destiny DeBerry and Taylor Wike both singled, stole a base and scored, and Tracy Chandless drove in two runs, including a sacrifice fly.
Lynch (13-11) captured her 13th victory in the circle, going the full seven innings for Carolina. The junior allowed just two hits over six shutout innings, before struggling in the bottom of the seventh. The Indianapolis native finished the game with seven hits and two earned runs, twirling a career-high eight strikeouts and no walks.
Kelsey Dominik (10-8) tossed the first six innings for Coastal, allowing all six runs on nine hits and seven walks with two strikeouts. Ashley Guillette came in to pitch the seventh and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
The Tar Heels jumped on Coastal starter Dominik in the top of the first, scoring four runs on five hits to give Lynch a nice cushion before she even stepped into the circle. DeBerry started it off with a swinging bunt single. She stole second, her 15th swipe of the season, leaving a base open for Wike who drew a walk. Brown then launched an RBI double to right, and a pair of RBI grounders made it 3-0. Singles by Leah Murray and Lynch loaded the bases, and Aquilla Mateen then hit a two-out RBI infield single to make it 4-0 before a popup finally ended the inning.
Delamora added a run for the Tar Heels in the top of the fifth, leading off with a double to the corner in left and taking third on an overthrow to second. Chandless then came through with a sacrifice fly deep to right to drive in pinch runner Erin Satterfield and make it 5-0 Carolina. The Tar Heels had a shot at more, as Lynch's second hit of the day and a pinch hit walk by Elena Covert helped UNC load the bases with two outs, but Carolina stranded three.
Lynch came through with her third hit of the game in the top of the sixth to drive in UNC's sixth run of the game, ripping a two-out RBI single to center after Carolina had loaded the bases with walks by Brown, Delamora and Lauren Fuller.
After being limited to just two hits through the first six innings, the Chanticleers fought back in the bottom of the seventh to load the bases with one out on three straight singles. An RBI ground out got Coastal on the board, then Alexis Alvino reloaded the bases with a single. Bri Chiusano then ripped an RBI single up the middle, which was misplayed by Mateen in center to allow a second run to score, cutting UNC's lead in half, 6-3. Lynch then got Forbes to ground out to short to close out the game and seal up her 13th victory of the season.
North Carolina returns home on Friday, March 25, to begin an eight-game homestand at Anderson Field. The Tar Heels will host an ACC series with No. 11 Florida State beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
