University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
33-11, 11-5
Boston College
24-15, 8-4
Tar Heels Sweep Doubleheader, Clinch Series With BC
April 15, 2017 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina hosted Boston College in an ACC doubleheader on Friday evening. Freshman Brittany Pickett allowed a single earned run over 14 innings pitched to lead the Tar Heels to the twin bill sweep. Defensive mistakes in the top of the seventh allowed BC to work on a comeback in game one, but the Heels closed it out with a 7-4 final score. Carolina clinched the series victory in game two, using timely hitting to win the pitcher's duel, 2-0, behind a three-hit shutout from Pickett.
Brittany Pickett was brilliant in the circle, pitching all 14 innings and limiting the Eagles to eight hits and one earned run with 15 strikeouts. She also led Carolina at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a walk and a home run.
The doubleheader sweep secures Carolina's fifth ACC series victory of the year. The Heels will go for the sweep on Saturday, April 15, at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. Arrive early, as the first 200 fans will receive a Tar Heel foam finger.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Boston College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 7 | 8 | 2 |
Carolina scored in four different innings, including plating four runs in the bottom of the fourth, to provide enough cushion to protect against the Eagles' late comeback and win the series opener, 7-4.
After twirling a three-hitter on Wednesday, Brittany Pickett brought a three-hit shutout into the bottom of the seventh, but could not secure her second straight, finishing the game with an earned run on five hits and three walks over the full seven innings. The rookie improved to 18-2 on the year and tied her personal high with nine strikeouts in the game.
Jessica Dreswick (17-7) started for Boston College but struggled with control, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits, four walks and three hit batters with two strikeouts. Jordan Weed pitched the remaining 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk with two Ks.
Katie Bailiff led the Tar Heels at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two RBIs. Taylor Wike hit a two-run double, and Pickett helped herself to the win with a solo home run. Katelyn Shifflett, Micaela Abbatine and Destiny DeBerry all singled and scored, and Berlynne Delamora reached base three times including a bases-loaded walk. Leah Murray returned from injury and went 1-for-3 to extend her reached base streak to 20 consecutive games.
Shifflett ripped a single off the pitcher's glove in the bottom of the first, and a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Leah Murray hit a slow roller to shortstop with two outs. Chloe Sharabba tried to flip it to third but the throw was off line as everyone reached safely and Shifflett crossed the plate.
The Tar Heels batted around in the bottom of the fourth, plating four runs and sending Dreswick to the bench. The Heels loaded the bases with two walks and a single by Abbatine, then Wike crushed a two-run double to straightaway center. A bases-loaded walk by Delamora sent DeBerry home, and a two-out RBI single by Bailiff made it 5-0 Carolina. Weed took over in the circle with the bases loaded and two outs and got Murray to ground out to keep UNC from doing any more damage.
Pickett made it 6-0 in the fifth with a solo home run to right center.
The Heels added another run in the bottom of the sixth, as Lynch drew a two-out walk and Bailiff crushed an RBI double to the wall, sending pinch runner Carly Kruse home.
Pickett brought a three-hit shutout into the seventh inning, but BC did not go quietly. Lexi DiEmmanuele used her speed to leg out a leadoff double, then Jules Travino was hit by a pitch. An error on the flip to second off a grounder up the middle allowed DiEmmanuele to score, then a walk loaded the bases. Madison Paulson scored on a wild pitch, then a two-out bloop single by Tatiana Cortez made it 7-4. Another fielding error—a dropped pop up—prolonged the inning further, but Pickett finally sealed her 18th win of the season with a pop up to first.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Boston College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Pickett and Dreswick returned to the circle for a pitcher's duel in the nightcap, as a two-run double by Katelyn Shifflett provided all the offense Pickett would need to wrap up a 2-0 victory. The win was Pickett's second shutout this week, as the rookie hurler has allowed a single earned run over her past 22 innings pitched.
Both teams mustered just three hits in the game, but Shifflett's came when it mattered, driving in Wike and DeBerry who had both walked to start the third inning. Wike went 1-for-2 with a walk and run scored, and Pickett delivered Carolina's first hit of the game in the second.
Pickett improved to 19-2 on the season, allowing just three hits and two walks with six strikeouts over seven shutout innings. Dreswick (17-8) took her second consecutive loss, allowing two runs on just three hits and three walks without a K.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pickett, Brittany (18-2)
L: Jessica Dreswick (17-7)
Batting:
2B: Lexi DiEmmanuele 1
RBI: Tatiana Cortez 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Taylor Coroneos 1 ; Chloe Sharabba 1 ; Lexi DiEmmanuele 1 ; Madison Paulson 1
SB: Lexi DiEmmanuele 1
HBP: Tatiana Cortez 1 ; Jules Trevino 1
Batting:
2B: Wike, Taylor 1 ; Bailiff, Katie 1
HR: Pickett, Brittany 1
RBI: Wike, Taylor 2 ; Delamora, Berlynne 1 ; Bailiff, Katie 2 ; Pickett, Brittany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wike, Taylor 1 ; Shifflett, Katelyn 1 ; Kruse, Carly 1 ; Pickett, Brittany 1 ; Abbatine, Micaela 1 ; DeBerry, Destiny 1 ; Hutcherson, Campbell 1
CS: Murray, Leah 1 ; DeBerry, Destiny 1
HBP: Shifflett, Katelyn 1 ; Delamora, Berlynne 2
