Tar Heels Blank Virginia in Series Opener

Friday, March 30

Charlottesville, Va.

6 PM

North Carolina

18-16, 7-3

Virginia

10-23, 1-9

North Carolina

Virginia

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 30, 2018 | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Led by the bats of Taylor Wike and Katie Bailiff and the dominant pitching of Brittany Pickett, North Carolina shut out Virginia, 8-0 in six innings on Friday night to begin the ACC series.

Giving up a mere three hits, Pickett hurled eight-strikeouts for a single-game ACC best. Both plating two runs, Wike and Bailiff were perfect at the plate, logging two and three hits, respectively. Berlynne Delamora also drove in two runs on a double in the third inning.

The Tar Heels scored in all but two innings en route to their seventh ACC win to improve to 7-3 in league play, 18-16 overall. UVA logged five base runners throughout the game, but could not come around to score, falling to 10-23, 1-9 in the ACC.

Leah Murray led off the game with a bunt-single before rounding the bases with a stolen base, wild pitch and UVA miscue, giving the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead with no outs. A trio of walks loaded the bases before Virginia made a change in the circle. Kiani Ramsey doubled the score on a ball hit to third for a two-run lead in the first inning.

The Cavaliers threatened in the second due to a Tar Heel miscue and Emily Osherow single. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners but a ground out ended the inning.

Bailiff led off the third with a double to left-center and Ramsey singled up the middle to set the stage for Delamora. On a 1-0 pitch, Delamora roped the ball down the right line for a two-run double, giving the Tar Heels a 4-0 edge.

Carolina tacked on another run in the fourth as Bailiff sent the ball to center, plating Wike to lead 5-0. Continuing in the sixth, the Tar Heels plated three runs on two hits. Wike logged a two-run single while Bailiff plated another run on a double to left-center.

Virginia fought until the end as both Danni Ingraham and Olivia Gott singled in the sixth. However, Pickett's seventh and eighth strikeouts ended the inning to secure the win for Carolina.

Pickett tossed her 17th complete game to improve to 16-5 on the season. The Tar Heels worked through four UVA pitchers with the starter, Lacy Smith, taking the loss.

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers wrap up the series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

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