Sunday, April 27
Notre Dame, Ind.
12 PM
North Carolina
39-14, 0
3
at
1
Notre Dame
23-29-1, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Carolina
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
3
7
0
Notre Dame
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
4
0
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Softball Caps Off Regular Season With Sweep Over Notre Dame
April 27, 2025 | Softball
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Carolina softball (39-14, 15-9) closed out the regular season with a sweep over Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon. The 3-1 victory was highlighted by another stellar pitching performance by Kenna Raye Dark and the middle infielders Grace Jackson and Kat Rodriguez.
Dark twirled her 14th complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run and striking out three along the way. In four games this week, Kenna Raye Dark and Britton Rogers threw four complete games, allowing just two earned runs in 25 innings. The two of them combined for a 0.56 ERA and 20 strikeouts to lead UNC to a perfect 4-0 week.
The UNC bats were kept at bay until the fourth inning when Lexie Roberts led the inning off with a single, after stealing second Kat Rodriguez sent a worm burner through the right side of the infield that scored Roberts. It was Rodriguez's 83rd RBI of the season which ties the ACC single season record.
The Fighting Irish were able to get some traffic on the bases in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the game up at 1-1. After that inning, Dark wouldn't allow another hit and only one more base runner.
Going into the seventh of a tie game, Kiannah Pierce singled, then Rayna Blackwell had a bunt single to set up first and second and no one out. Shelby Barbee used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Grace Jackson stepped to the plate and sent a go-ahead double into deep right center field to make it a 3-1 ball game.
Dark came in the bottom half of the seventh and shut things down to seal the series sweep.
Six series wins mark the most by UNC since 2019, the last time it made the NCAA tournament. 39 wins are the most in a season since 2018 when the Tar Heels won 40 games.
The Tar Heels now get a week off before the ACC Tournament hosted by Boston College where seeding is still undetermined.
Dark twirled her 14th complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run and striking out three along the way. In four games this week, Kenna Raye Dark and Britton Rogers threw four complete games, allowing just two earned runs in 25 innings. The two of them combined for a 0.56 ERA and 20 strikeouts to lead UNC to a perfect 4-0 week.
The UNC bats were kept at bay until the fourth inning when Lexie Roberts led the inning off with a single, after stealing second Kat Rodriguez sent a worm burner through the right side of the infield that scored Roberts. It was Rodriguez's 83rd RBI of the season which ties the ACC single season record.
The Fighting Irish were able to get some traffic on the bases in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the game up at 1-1. After that inning, Dark wouldn't allow another hit and only one more base runner.
Going into the seventh of a tie game, Kiannah Pierce singled, then Rayna Blackwell had a bunt single to set up first and second and no one out. Shelby Barbee used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Grace Jackson stepped to the plate and sent a go-ahead double into deep right center field to make it a 3-1 ball game.
Dark came in the bottom half of the seventh and shut things down to seal the series sweep.
Six series wins mark the most by UNC since 2019, the last time it made the NCAA tournament. 39 wins are the most in a season since 2018 when the Tar Heels won 40 games.
The Tar Heels now get a week off before the ACC Tournament hosted by Boston College where seeding is still undetermined.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dark, Kenna Raye (17-7)
L: Micaela Kastor (10-8)
Batting:
2B: Horton, Sydney 1
RBI: Kat Rodriguez 1 ; Horton, Sydney 2
SH: Barbee, Shelby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roberts, Lexie 1 ; Outlaw, Reece 1 ; Blackwell, Rayna 1
SB: Roberts, Lexie 1 ; Thompson, Sanaa 1
Batting:
RBI: Anna Holloway 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Emily Tran 1
HBP: Kaia Cortes 1 ; Jane Kronenberger 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUNC Football: Belichick Gets First Win as Heels Down Charlotte, 20-3
Sunday, September 07
Carolina Insider - Football at Charlotte Preview (Full Segment) - September 5, 2025
Saturday, September 06
Bill Belichick Coach's Corner - Episode 2 - Sep. 3, 2025
Saturday, September 06
UNC Men's Soccer: Tar Heels Secures Hard-Earned Draw at #5 NC State
Saturday, September 06