University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
28-9, 8-3
Virginia
12-23, 3-11
Eight-Run Sixth Backs Pickett In Run-Rule Victory
April 1, 2017 | Softball
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| North Carolina | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 0 |
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina evened the ACC series with the University of Virginia on Saturday afternoon, hammering 10 hits, including an eight-run sixth inning, to race past the Cavaliers, 12-1, in six innings. The win lifts UNC to 28-9 (8-3 ACC), while UVA slips to 12-23 (3-11 ACC).
Taylor Wike, Kendra Lynch and Destiny DeBerry all had two hits in the game. Lynch was 2-for-2 with two walks, including an intentional walk in the sixth. Wike went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases, while DeBerry was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Brittany Pickett hammered her seventh home run of the season in the fourth inning, then Katie Bailiff ended the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth—her second grand slam in seven days. Bailiff is the only Tar Heel since 2015 to hit a grand slam, with her last two homers coming with the bases loaded.
Berlynne Delamora was kept off the basepaths for the first time since Feb. 17, ending her impressive streak at 29 consecutive games reaching base. The Tar Heel third baseman still picked up two RBIs, however, becoming the first Tar Heel since at least 2005 to record two sacrifice flies in one game. She now has four sac flies on the year, one shy of the Carolina season record.
After suffering her first career loss on Friday night, Brittany Pickett (13-1) bounced back with a strong appearance on Saturday afternoon, going the full six innings and limiting UVA to a single run on a solo homer, allowing a total of five hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
Lacy Smith (1-4) started for Virginia but didn't make it out of the first inning, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks while recording just two outs. Erika Osherow went the next 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks. Lexi Mettler entered in the bottom of the fifth but after a strong first inning, allowed a total of eight runs, two earned, on four hits and three walks over the final 1.1 frames. The UVA staff did not record a strikeout in the game.
Leah Murray led off her fourth straight game on first base, drawing a walk then stealing second. Wike followed with a single and stole second, then Delamora drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. An RBI single up the middle by DeBerry made it 2-0 Carolina before a “look-back rule” violation ended the inning.
Hailey Cole singled up the middle and stole second in the bottom of the second, and a two-out RBI single to right by Wike made it 3-0 Carolina.
Osherow put Virginia on the board in the top of the third with a leadoff home run to left center.
Pickett replied in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot of her own to put UNC back ahead by three, 4-1.
Carolina batted around in the bottom of the sixth, using four hits, three walks and two Cavalier errors to plate eight runs and end the game early in run-rule fashion. DeBerry led off with her second hit of the game and scored on a wild pitch. RBI singles by Murray and Wike made it 6-1, then Delamora drove in her second sacrifice fly of the game. Mettler intentionally walked Lynch to load the bases, then Bailiff ended the game with her second career grand slam for a final score of 12-1.
The Heels and Hoos return to Anderson Stadium for the rubber match on Sunday, April 2. Carolina seeks it fourth straight ACC series win while Virginia looks for its first with opening pitch set for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pickett, Brittany (13-1)
L: Lacy Smith (1-4)
Batting:
HR: Erika Osherow 1
RBI: Erika Osherow 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Erika Osherow 1
Batting:
HR: Bailiff, Katie 1 ; Pickett, Brittany 1
RBI: Murray, Leah 1 ; Wike, Taylor 2 ; Delamora, Berlynne 2 ; Bailiff, Katie 4 ; DeBerry, Destiny 1 ; Pickett, Brittany 1
SF: Delamora, Berlynne 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Murray, Leah 2 ; Wike, Taylor 2 ; Lynch, Kendra 1 ; Bailiff, Katie 1 ; DeBerry, Destiny 1 ; Shifflett, Katelyn 1 ; Pickett, Brittany 1 ; Cole, Hailey 2 ; Hutcherson, Campbell 1
SB: Murray, Leah 1 ; Wike, Taylor 2 ; Cole, Hailey 1
