Tar Heels Split with No. 11 Tennessee, Conclude Historic Season in NCAA Regional Final

Sunday, May 19

Knoxville, Tenn.

12 PM

North Carolina

38-19

Tennessee

41-15

Tennessee

North Carolina

Photo by: Randy Sartin

Tar Heels Split with No. 11 Tennessee, Conclude Historic Season in NCAA Regional Final

May 19, 2019 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score Game Two Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Battling their way through the elimination bracket of NCAA Knoxville Regional, the Tar Heels upset No. 11 Tennessee, 1-0 to force a fourth post-season elimination game for the first time in program history. However, the Lady Vols prevailed in the final game of the weekend for the 2-0 win to advance to the Gainesville Super Regional on Sunday afternoon.

Kristina Burkhardt scored UNC's lone run on her second home run of the weekend to lift the Tar Heels over Tennessee in game one. Dealing a no-hitter through five, Brittany Pickett struck out eight and allowed a mere two hits in the win. Pickett returned to the circle in game two, giving up only one extra-base hit. However, Tennessee's Ashley Morgan two-run double secured the Lady Vols the win.

Picking up UNC's ninth ranked win of 2019, Carolina wraps up its season at 38-20 while Tennessee advances to the Gainesville Super Regional with a 42-15 record.

Game One: UNC 1, UT 0
» An efficient 11-pitch inning featuring two strikeouts by Brittany Pickett retired the Lady Vols in order in the first.
» Leah Murray singled to the left side but double play kept her from advancing.
» Murray reached on an error in the fourth and stole second to put UNC in scoring position. A walk put two on for Carolina, but a shallow popup to short ended the inning.
» Coming down to the sixth inning, Burkhardt slugged her second homer of the weekend scoring the only run UNC would need for the win.
» Tennessee led off the seventh with a bunt, but Pickett's eighth strikeout of the game stranded the runners and secured the 1-0 win.
» Winning Pitcher: Brittany Pickett (23-13) // Losing pitcher: Ashley Rogers (21-5)

Game Two: UT 2, UNC 0
» Kiani Ramsey singled in the first and Destiny DeBerry followed suit in the third, but Carolina was unable to score.
» Tennessee threatened in the second and third innings with runners in scoring position on base hits in each frames.
» DeBerry logged her second hit of the game in the fifth, but a fielder's choice ended the inning.
» The Lady Vols took their first lead of the day on Ashley Morgan's two-run double in the fifth.
» Carolina continued to fight as Berlynne Delamora led off the seventh with a double down the right line. However, the Tar Heels were unable to convert, taking the 0-2 loss.
» Winning Pitcher: Caylan Arnold (10-8) // Losing pitcher: Brittany Pickett (23-14)

Noteworthy
» Carolina stole one base against the Lady Vols wrapping up the season with 124 – upping the stolen base record for the fourth-straight season.
» Pickett struck out eight or more batters in her last eight of her past nine complete games since April 26 at Louisville.
» In game one, Pickett's complete-game shutout accounts for the eighth thrown by a Carolina softball player in an NCAA Tournament game. It's Pickett's second. She and Danielle Spaulding are the only Tar Heels who have recorded two.
» Carolina's nine ranked wins is three more than any Tar Heel team before the 2019 season.

Stay up to date with Carolina Softball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.