Tar Heels Complete Sweep Of BC On Senior Day

Saturday, April 15

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

35-11, 13-5

Boston College

24-17, 8-6

Boston College

North Carolina

April 15, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletic Communications

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Boston College (24-17, 8-6)	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	11	3
North Carolina (35-11, 13-5)	0	0	1	1	6	0	-	8	7	2

CHAPEL HILL – Boston College plated two runs in the top of the first, but a six-run fifth inning propelled North Carolina to victory in Saturday's series finale as the Heels concluded their final home ACC series with a three-game sweep of the Eagles. The win increases UNC's foothold on second place in the conference standings at 35-11 (13-5 ACC), while BC slips to 24-17 (8-6 ACC).

“BC came in here this weekend second in the conference and we were able to pull off a sweep,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “Jessica Dreswick was third in the conference with a 1.77 ERA and we scored a bunch of runs this weekend. I am really proud of the team and how we responded, put hits together, played defense when we needed to and came out with three good wins.”

Boston College took the early lead off senior Kendra Lynch, but freshman Brittany Pickett took over in the circle in the fourth inning then tied the score with a leadoff home run. Lynch got the runs back with a go-ahead two-run homer which kicked off a six-run bottom of the fifth, as the Tar Heels finished off the weekend with an 8-3 ACC victory.

Lynch allowed two runs on eight hits and a walk with a strikeout over the first three innings. Pickett improved to an unprecedented 20-2 on the season, limiting Boston College to one run on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts over four innings of relief.

The freshman hurler was unstoppable this week, going 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA, allowing just two earned runs over 25 innings pitched with 20 strikeouts compared to just 14 hits. Additionally, she hit a team-best .545 and slugged over 1.000 with two home runs in 11 at-bats.

“She's awesome,” said Papa. “She has done a phenomenal job. She had one bad inning of all the innings she pitched this weekend. She has great confidence right now and great poise. The team is playing well behind her. And she is hitting well on top of it—how exciting is that?”

“I have a lot of confidence in her,” said sophomore catcher Katie Bailiff. “She has worked her butt off and it's paying off now. She's throwing the ball hard and hitting her spots and doing what a pitcher should do.”

Pickett and Lynch led the Heels at the plate, each hitting a single and a home run and combining for three RBIs. Junior Taylor Wike went 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI double and a sacrifice fly, and Destiny DeBerry walked and scored a pair of runs. Berlynne Delamora hit an RBI single and drew her 40th walk of the season to move just three free passes shy of the single-season record.

Jessica Dreswick (17-9) took her third loss of the weekend, allowing all eight runs, seven earned, on six hits and six walks with four strikeouts over the first 4.2 innings. Jordan Weed shut down the Tar Heels over the final 1.1 frames, surrendering a hit and a walk.

Boston College attacked early, using back-to-back RBI doubles by Annie Murphy and Tatiana Cortez to take a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Eagles threatened again in the top of the second with three straight singles, but a great relay from DeBerry to Campbell Hutcherson to Bailiff got Dani Thomas at the plate on a single up the middle, and a strong throw from Wike on a grounder to deep short ending the inning.

DeBerry got to second as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the third on a throwing error by the shortstop, and Wike crushed an RBI double to deep right field to put Carolina on the board. A walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs, but the Heels were unable to get another hit, standing three.

Pickett came in to pitch in the top of the fourth and after a scoreless frame she led off the bottom half with a game-tying solo blast.

Delamora led off the fifth inning with a walk, then Lynch crushed a two-run home run to left center to give Carolina a 4-2 lead. A walk and two singles loaded the bases, and Micaela Abbatine worked a 10-pitch walk for an RBI. Wike flew out to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, and a throwing error by Lexi DiEmmanuele allowed Abbatine to score behind Hutcherson. Weed came in to pitch, but issued a four-pitch walk to Katelyn Shifflett, then Delamora made it 8-2 Carolina with an RBI single before the Eagle defense finally got out of the inning.

DiEmmanuele used her speed to manufacture a run in the top of the sixth. She led off with a bunt single and stole second, then a pair of ground outs sent her across the plate to make it 8-3.

Chloe Sharabba led off the seventh with a single through the left side, and a dropped pop up put two Eagles on base, but the Carolina defense held firm, completing the sweep with an 8-3 victory in the series finale.

The Tar Heels close out the homestand on Wednesday, April 19, with a visit from Winthrop. Carolina will face the Eagles at 5 p.m.