University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
36-13, 14-6
Syracuse
26-17, 7-10
Tar Heels Persevere To Win Wild One, 11-10, In Extras
April 23, 2017 | Softball
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| North Carolina (36-13, 14-6) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| Syracuse (26-17, 7-10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 2 |
Syracuse, N.Y. – North Carolina evened the series with Syracuse on Sunday morning, outlasting a valiant Syracuse offense for an 11-10 victory in nine innings. The pair returned to the diamond for the series finale, but after UNC took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third, the game was halted for travel reasons and will not be completed. At the end of the weekend, UNC sits at 36-13 (14-6 ACC), while Syracuse moves to 26-17 (7-10 ACC).
An early 4-0 lead was not enough for Carolina, nor was a 7-4 lead in the middle of the seventh, but a four-run top of the ninth finally put Syracuse away, as the Tar Heels held on to defeat the Orange, 11-10, in nine innings.
Four Tar Heels had two-hit performances in the game, led by freshman Brittany West who went 2-for-5 with a team-high four RBIs in the form of a two-run double and the game-winning two run single. West had just four career at-bats prior to Sunday's contest. Katelyn Shifflett went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, while Katie Bailiff was 2-for-5 with an RBI single and a run in the ninth.
Berlynne Delamora put together five productive plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a hit by pitch, two runs scored and two RBIs, driving in the first run of the game in her only out of the game. Her walk in the fifth inning was her 44th of the season, breaking the UNC single-season record set just last season at 43 by Kristen Brown (2013-16).
Kendra Lynch broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh with a solo home run, and Leah Murray singled, walked and scored twice. Murray, Taylor Wike, Hailey Cole and Destiny DeBerry all stole a base in the game.
Brittany Pickett, who also went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run at the plate, pitched the first seven innings, but allowed seven runs on 11 hits and two walks with just one strikeout. Lynch (10-4) tossed the final two innings, earning the win despite allowing three runs on four hits with a strikeout.
Alexa Romero went the first eight innings, taking the no decision after allowing seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. AnnaMarie Gatti (7-6) took the loss, surrendering four runs, three earned, on two hits and three walks in the ninth inning.
Murray led off the game with a double to left center, then Wike laid down a sacrifice bunt. The third baseman was unable to pick up the ball in time, and with heads up base running, Wike snuck over to second base. Delamora put Carolina on the board, sending Murray home with an RBI ground out to short.
Murray walked and stole second in the top of the third, and Delamora came through with a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0 Carolina.
The Tar Heels doubled their lead once again in the top of the fourth on three straight hits. Pickett led off with a double, then Bailiff singled. Pinch runner Hailey Cole stole second, and Brittany West earned her first career RBIs with a two-run double to make it 4-0 Carolina.
The Orange did not get its first hit until the bottom of the fourth, but Rachel Burkhardt jumpstarted Syracuse's offense with a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth. Kelsey Johnson followed with a single, then an RBI single by Sammy Fernandez got SU on the board. Alicia Hansen clocked a two-run home run to center field, and a walk to Sydney O'Hara kept the inning going. Bryce Holmgren singled, then Faith Cain tied the score with a double off the wall in left.
Both pitchers tossed perfect sixth innings, but with one out in the top of the seventh, Lynch put Carolina back in front with a solo home run. Delamora followed with a single, and Shifflett added some insurance with a two-run shot to make to 7-4 Tar Heels.
Syracuse did not back down, as Hansen got the Orange going with a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh. O'Hara hit a bloop single, then an RBI single by Holmgen made it 7-5. Pickett struck out Cain for the second out, but Hannah Dossett came through with a two-out, two-run single to tie the score at seven and send the game to extra innings.
A bunt single by DeBerry was it for the top of the eighth, then Lynch came in and pitched a perfect bottom half.
Gatti took over to pitch the ninth, but surrendered a four-pitch leadoff walk to Lynch then hit Delamora with a pitch. She spun and got the lead runner at third on a comebacker for the first out, but Pickett followed with a walk to load the bases. Bailiff came through with an RBI single to right center, and a throwing error by the right fielder allowed Shifflett to score from second on the play. A two-run single by West then made it 11-7 Tar Heels.
The Orange did not give in before, and a four-run deficit did not faze them any further, as Hansen led off with a single and O'Hara laced an RBI triple down the right field line. An RBI double by Jessica Heese made it 11-9, then Cain singled. Dossett grounded back to Lynch, who turned the second double play of the game for two big outs, despite allowing a run to score, then the Tar Heel senior got a ground out to second to end the marathon game and pick up her 10th victory of the season by a final score of 11-10.
Game Two (Unfinished)
Carolina and Syracuse started the series finale, but after the first game went nearly three hours, the pair only had time to play a little over two inning, before the Tar Heels had to leave for the airport. UNC had just taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the third when the game was halted.
Kellyn Daly started in the circle for Carolina and hurled four strikeouts over her two innings pitched, allowing a run on four hits and two walks. Brittany Pickett and Leah Murray were both 2-for-2 and Katelyn Shifflett singled, walked and scored. However, none of these statistics will be counted as the game did not last the minimum of five innings.
Next Up: The Tar Heels return to Anderson Stadium on Wednesday, April 26, for the final home games of the 2017 regular season. UNC will host No. 14/15 James Madison in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lynch, Kendra (10-4)
L: AnnaMarie Gatti (7-6)
Batting:
2B: Murray, Leah 1 ; Pickett, Brittany 1 ; West, Brittany 1
HR: Lynch, Kendra 1 ; Shifflett, Katelyn 1
RBI: Lynch, Kendra 1 ; Delamora, Berlynne 2 ; Shifflett, Katelyn 2 ; Bailiff, Katie 1 ; West, Brittany 4
SH: Wike, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murray, Leah 2 ; Lynch, Kendra 1 ; Delamora, Berlynne 2 ; Shifflett, Katelyn 2 ; Pickett, Brittany 1 ; Bailiff, Katie 1 ; Cole, Hailey 1 ; Hutcherson, Campbell 1
SB: Murray, Leah 1 ; Wike, Taylor 1 ; Cole, Hailey 1 ; DeBerry, Destiny 1
HBP: Delamora, Berlynne 1
Batting:
2B: Alicia Hansen 1 ; Sydney O'Hara 1 ; Jessica Heese 1 ; Faith Cain 1 ; Rachel Burkhardt 1
3B: Sydney O'Hara 1
HR: Alicia Hansen 1
RBI: Sammy Fernandez 1 ; Alicia Hansen 2 ; Sydney O'Hara 1 ; Bryce Holmgren 1 ; Jessica Heese 1 ; Faith Cain 1 ; Hannah Dossett 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sammy Fernandez 1 ; Alicia Hansen 3 ; Sydney O'Hara 2 ; Toni Martin 1 ; Jessica Heese 2 ; Rachel Burkhardt 1
HBP: Bryce Holmgren 1
