University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Louisville
Cardinals Win Back-And-Forth Battle In Series Opener
April 2, 2016 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL – Despite waiting an extra four hours after rain soaked Anderson Stadium overnight, the Tar Heels exploded for two runs early, and retook the lead after falling behind in the third, but U of L took the lead back in the fourth and never again trailed, as the Cardinals took the ACC series opener from Carolina, 9-5. The win lifts Louisville to 24-6 (9-1 ACC), while UNC slips to 17-18 (3-7 ACC).
“I thought our infield played awesome defense,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “Kristen Brown was outstanding. Our outfield bobbled some balls. They went pick it up, they dropped it so that's an extra base. You can't defend home runs. That was one of the biggest differences. Kendra got the leadoff batter in every inning but the seventh. But then it was after that with one out, somebody got a hit then a walk then a homerun. It's multiple, like 1-2-3-4. You can't do that.
“Overall defensively, I thought we were pretty clean minus some of the bobbles in the outfield. But offensively we had some opportunities to answer back. We start off with the lead, then they got three runs. We answered back with two, then they answered back. So it was a back and forth game. When they had runners on, they delivered. We had runners on a couple of innings and we popped up. We didn't get the job done. Obviously Louisville hit the ball very well. We didn't hit it terribly, but we didn't get enough runs. They did. That's really the biggest difference.”
Taylor Wike led the Tar Heels at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI, and Kristen Brown hit a two-run home run, walked and scored twice. Berlynne Delamora and Lauren Fuller each had an RBI single, while Aquilla Mateen and Leah Murray both singled and scored.
“We got some good hits,” said Papa. “Taylor Wike hit the ball well. KB hit the ball well, but we didn't do it sometimes when we had runners on. You've got to make those opportunities count.”
Louisville's sluggers connected for 11 hits, eight of which went for extra bases, led by breakout freshman Jordan Vorbrink, who doubled, tripled, and homered after entering the game with a .192 average. Pitcher Maryssa Becker drove in nearly as many runs as she allowed, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs.
Kendra Lynch (15-14) retired the first seven batters of the game, but struggled the rest of the way, allowing nine runs on 11 hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Becker improved to 13-4 after allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in the complete game.
The Tar Heels struck first, as Wike ripped a first-inning double to the warning track in right field, then Brown clocked her 59th career home run to straightaway center for a quick 2-0 lead.
A Louisville long ball gave the Cardinals the lead in the top of the third. Jordan Vorbrink, who entered the game to play right field in the bottom of the second, dropped a one-out triple just inside the right field line. Jordan McNary followed with a walk, and after a great play by Brown got Vorbrink at the plate on a grounder, Maryssa Becker drove a three-run shot over the wall in right to make it 3-2 Louisville.
Carolina retook the lead in the bottom of the third with back-to-back RBI singles. Mateen beat out an infield hit to arrive safely as the leadoff batter then stole second. Brown was intentionally walked, then Delamora tied the score with a two-out RBI single. Fuller followed with a nearly identical ball that the second baseman made a diving stop on, but her flip to second was uncatchable giving UNC a 4-3 lead.
Vorbrink struck again in the top of the fourth, drilling her first career home run for a two-run shot to take back the lead, 5-4.
Louisville added to its lead in the sixth, as Brittany Sims got the Cardinals started with a solo shot to straightaway center. Vorbrink followed with a double to center, and Sidney Melton beat out a high chopper to first for an RBI single. Becker then ripped an RBI double down the left-field line to make it 8-4 Louisville.
A leadoff triple led to another Cardinal run in the top of the seventh, as Lillie Goetz laced a three-bagger down the left field line and Jenna Jordan drove her home with a single to center. The catcher tried to stretch it to a double, but Mateen played the ball perfectly off the wall and gunned her down at second.
Murray kept hope alive for the Tar Heels in the bottom of the seventh, leading off with a single off the pitcher's foot. Mateen moved her to second with a ground out, then Wike singled to the gap off the second baseman's outstretched glove to drive home Murray. Brown swung at the first pitch and grounded out to short, putting Wike on short, then a great play by the first baseman on a high chopper got Lynch for the final out, as Louisville took the series opener, 9-5.
Due to the extended delay prior to Saturday's contest, the weekend series will conclude with a doubleheader on Sunday, April 3, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The second game of the day will air on ESPN3 beginning at Noon.
