Softball Takes Game One, 8-2, Over Notre Dame

Thursday, March 28

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5 P.M.

North Carolina

23-8, 0

Notre Dame

20-11, 0

UNC

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

March 28, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Carolina softball team (23-8, 5-5 ACC) clinched the series-opener over Notre Dame on Friday evening in impressive fashion, downing the Fighting Irish (20-11, 5-5 ACC), 8-2, at Anderson Field.

After being kept scoreless and trailing 1-0 after four innings, the Tar Heel bats woke up in a big way in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, junior Carlie Myrtle started the two-out rally with a base hit to left field. An Notre Dame error and a single from junior Alex Coleman loaded the bases for Skyler Brooks.

Brooks took advantage, plating a pair of Tar Heels with a hit to left field, giving Carolina a 2-1 lead. Then, after graduate Abby Settlemyre drew a walk, freshman Sanaa Thompson hit another two-run base hit to make it 4-1. Redshirt sophomore Isabela Emerling plated the last run of the inning with an RBI base hit.

Carolina added another three runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out three-RBI triple from Settlemyre, her first triple of the season, to make it 8-1.

All eight of the Tar Heel runs were with two outs.

Kenna Raye Dark (6-1) earned the victory in the circle, allowing just two earned runs, six hits and one walk with three strikeouts. It is her third ACC victory of the season and her seventh complete game.

Thompson, Myrtle and Settlemyre each had two hits in the win, with Settlemyre tallied a game-best three RBIs.

The Tar Heels will look to clinch the series on Friday at 1 p.m.

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