Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Against Syracuse

Sunday, March 30

Syracuse, N.Y.

10 AM

North Carolina

27-9, 7-4

Syracuse

21-12, 2-10

North Carolina

Syracuse

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

March 30, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – North Carolina softball swept the doubleheader against Syracuse, winning the first game 11-6 and the second game 10-9.

Game one opened with a Carlie Myrtle RBI single that scored Lexie Roberts to go up 1-0 right away. Syracuse responded with a three-run home run to take a 3-1 lead after one.

But, a theme that would continue throughout the day, UNC punched right back. The Tar Heels through up a five spot in the top of the second. Shelby Barbee kicked it off with an RBI double, then Roberts scored Bryten Burns. Kat Rodriguez continued her insane season with a two-RBI single to give Carolina the lead. Sanaa Thompson plated Rodriguez to make it 6-3.

By the fifth inning, the Orange tied things back up at 6-6. It remained that way until the seventh. Kat Rodriguez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded with a chance to give the Tar Heels the lead. She did exactly that. Just this time in a new way, a go-ahead RBI hit by pitch gave Carolina a 7-6 lead. The next batter was Thompson who blew the doors wide open sending a grand slam to the opposite field to make it 11-6. Lilly Parrish shut things down in the seventh to pick up the win.

Looking to take the series in the second game of the day, Rodriguez plated her fourth RBI of the day, and 14th RBI of the week to give UNC an immediate 1-0 lead. Just like game one, Syracuse responded with three in its half of the inning.

The 3-1 deficit remained until the fourth inning but then Rayna Blackwell singled to left scoring Rodriguez to make it 3-2. Grace Jackson stepped to the plate next and cleared the bases sending a double perfectly over the left fielders head making it 5-3.

In the fifth, Carlie Myrtle sent an absolute laser to right center for her 14th home run of the year to make it 8-3.

In the sixth the Orange punched back. They put five across to even things up behind a bunch of singles and two bases loaded walks. Then for the first time all season, UNC entered extras.

In the eighth, Grace Jackson made one of the defensive plays of the season, with runners on second and third with two outs, she dove to her left, kept the ball from sneaking past and gunned the runner out at first to end the inning and save the game.

In the ninth, Kat Rodriguez hit her third home run of the week to give UNC a 9-8 lead. Syracuse responded however, tying things up in the bottom of the ninth.

Going into the 10th inning, Shelby Barbee send a single to left which scored Reece Outlaw from second to give Carolina a 10-9 lead.

In the bottom half of the 10th, with two outs and a runner on second, up against the drop-dead time, UNC faced the last batter of the game. It was either going to be an out, a walk off homer, or the game would end in a tie. Lilly Parrish got the Syracuse hitter to foul out to left to secure her second win of the day and clinch the series for UNC.

The series win marks the Tar Heels first ever series win at Syracuse.