University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Oregon State
Tar Heels Surrender Late Leads, Drop Two at Garman Classic
March 7, 2016 | Softball
Fullerton, Calif. – Carolina suffered a difficult end to the Judi Garman Classic, allowing a combined eight runs over the sixth and seventh innings to drop close games to Oregon State and Cal State Fullerton. The Tar Heels led 2-0 over the Beavers after five innings, but allowed three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to fall to OSU, 5-2. UNC then broke a 3-3 tie to go ahead 5-3 over Fullerton in the top of the seventh, but lost, 6-5, in walk-off fashion. As a result, UNC drops to 9-10 on the season, while Oregon State improved to 16-4 and CSUF finished the day, 13-7.
Senior slugger Kristen Brown highlighted the Carolina offense, going 3-for-4 with three walks and two home runs over the pair of games. With a seventh-inning bomb against Fullerton, Brown broke yet another Carolina career record, surpassing Natalie Anter (1999-02) with 391 total bases. Additionally, she jumped past three players and into fourth place all time in ACC history with 56 career home runs. Having already hit nine home runs this season, the USA Softball National Player of the Year candidate needs just nine more to match the all-time conference record.
Game 1: Oregon State 5, North Carolina 2
Carolina jumped on the Beavers early, but Oregon State scored five unanswered runs in the final two innings to defeat UNC, 5-2. The Tar Heels were led at the plate by Kristen Brown, who went 2-for-3 with a home run, and Leah Murray drove in the second Carolina run with an RBI single. Destiny DeBerry, Kendra Lynch and Tracy Chandless all singled in the game as well.
Lynch (7-6) tossed the first 6.1 innings, but after five scoreless frames, the junior allowed five runs on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Lauren Fuller got the final two outs without allowing a base runner, but did allow both inherited runners to score.
Bev Miller (6-2) went the fist 5.1 innings for OSU, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Meehra Nelson entered with a one-run lead in the sixth and retired all five batter she faced to pick up her second save of the season.
Kristen Brown put the Tar Heels on the board early, crushing a solo home run to straightaway center in the bottom of the first.
The next batter for either team did not reach base until the top of the fifth, as both pitchers retired 10 straight until Shelby Weeks broke up the streak by beating out a high chopper for a leadoff single. However, two key strikeouts kept OSU from getting past first.
Chandless did the same for the Tar Heels in the bottom of the fifth, leading off with a single off the pitcher. Delamora bunted pinch runner Aquilla Mateen to second, but the senior got caught too far off second on the next pitch and was thrown out attempting the delayed steal. Jillian Ferraro extended the inning, getting to first on an overthrow by the shortstop, and a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. Leah Murray then came through with a two-out single up the middle, as Kiana Sherlund came in to score but Erin Satterfield was thrown out at the plate to keep UNC from adding any more insurance.
The Beavers took the lead in the top of the sixth, as the first two batters reached on a walk and a single, and Natalie Hampton drilled a three-run home run to left center to put Oregon State on top, 3-2.
Oregon State added to its lead in the top of the seventh, using a walk and a double to chase Lynch from the circle. An illegal pitch by Fuller sent Garcia home, then Lopez picked up an RBI ground out to make it 5-2.
Game 2: Cal State Fullerton 6, North Carolina 5
Missed opportunities plagued the Tar Heel offense in the night cap, as Carolina was unable to take advantage of eight walks by stranding at total of 12 runners on base during the game. Kendra Lynch did a good job of stranding Titans, but was unable to hold on as Cal State Fullerton surged back to defeat UNC, 6-5, in the bottom of the seventh.
Kristen Brown, who hardly saw a strike all game, walked in her first three plate appearances, including a first-inning intentional walk, then took advantage of a mistake by Washington to drive solo shot to left center in the bottom of the seventh. Leah Murray and Aquilla Mateen each had two hits in the game, including a double by Murray, and Tracy Chandless hit her third home run of the weekend in the fourth inning.
Kendra Lynch (7-7) went the distance in the circle, but allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Desiree Ybarra started for CSUF, but recorded just one out and was pulled after allowing two runs on three walks and a hit. Cerissa Rivera tossed the next three innings, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk, and Christina Washington earned her first decision of the season despite allowing two runs on one hit and four walks over the final 3.2 innings.
The Tar Heels attacked early, putting up two runs in the top of the first and forcing a quick exit for starter Desiree Ybarra. Destiny DeBerry led off with a walk, then Mateen reached safely with a bloop single. Taylor Wike bunted the pair over, leaving a base open for Brown, and the Titans opted to put the All-America slugger on first to load the bases. Lynch worked a bases-loaded walk to send DeBerry home, then Fuller picked up a sacrifice fly to give Carolina an early 2-0 lead.
The Titans replied with a two-run home run to tie the score in the bottom of the first, as Alexis Gonzalez drove her third long ball of the season to left center.
Fullerton scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second, as Raeanne Martinez rocketed a shot to the left side that took a tough hop in front of Brown and skirted into left center, allowing Shianne Brannan to score.
Tracy Chandless swung at the first pitch of the fourth inning and drove it deep over the wall in left for her third home run of the weekend, tying the game at three runs apiece. Murray then ripped a one-out double to the gap in left center, leading to another call to the bullpen. Washington then got the job done to strand Murray at second and keep UNC from retaking the lead.
The Tar Heels squandered a chance to pull ahead in the top of the fifth, as Wike and Brown led off with walks, but the next two batters flew out on the first pitch as UNC left both runners in their spots.
UNC got the first two runners on once again in the sixth inning, but Wike was robbed of extra bases on a leaping grab by center fielder Courtney Rodriguez to end the inning with the score still tied at three.
Fullerton had a chance in the bottom of the sixth, getting the first two runners on, then loading the bases with one out. But Lynch came up big with three strikeouts in the inning to strand three and keep the Titans from taking the lead.
After hardly seeing a pitch to hit all game, Brown launched a 3-2 pitch deep to left center to lead off the seventh inning, breaking the all-time career total bases record with her ninth home run of the season and 56th of her career. After issuing a walk to Lynch, the Titans turned a double play. However, due to an unreported substitution by Fullerton, both runners were ruled safe. Berlynne Delamora was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then Murray hit a sacrifice fly to left to make it 5-3 Carolina.
The Titans did not back down, loading the bases with three straight hits in the bottom of the seventh. A fourth single, by Sarah Moore, to shallow right sent Samantha Vandiver across the plate, then the Titans tied the score on a chopper to second. Brannan then laced the Titans' fifth hit of the inning into right field, scoring Adele Leuma, to walk off with a 6-5 victory to close the Judi Garman Classic.
The Tar Heels return to action on Wednesday, March 9, with a midweek trip to Elon in the final tuneup before Atlantic Coast Conference play begins.
