May 11, 2007

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Lisa Norris tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout and Emily Troup continued to power the North Carolina offense with three extra-base hits as UNC stayed alive in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament with a 5-0 win against Boston College Saturday evening at JoAnne Graf Field on the campus of Florida State University.

With the win, the Tar Heels (45-18) advance to Game 12 Saturday at 1:30 p.m., where they will face top-seed Virginia Tech (46-14), who has yet to lose in the tournament. Should UNC win that game, the two teams would face off again at 7:30 for the right to play in the ACC Championship game.

Troup's bat proved hot right from the start against the Eagles (15-31) as she roped a double to centerfield in her first at bat in the bottom of the second inning that scored Anna Evans from first, giving UNC the early 1-0 advantage. Evans had earned a one-out walk to get on - the 85th base on balls of her career, a new school record.

In the bottom of the fourth, Troup struck gold again, tripling over the head of the BC right fielder for her second extra-base hit of the game.

Danielle Spaulding ensured that it paid dividends for the Tar Heels, lining a single up the middle to score Troup and give Carolina a 2-0 lead.

UNC tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth to push its advantage to three. The run came courtesy of a Cassie Palmer double down the left field line followed one out later by a Breanna Brown RBI single.

After Evans singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth, Troup blasted a shot off the top of the wall in right center field for yet another extra-base hit, a double that gave her seven total bases on the day. Moreover, it was her eighth consecutive hit in a four-game streak dating back to game one of the Florida State series on April 28. Again it proved fruitful, as pinch-hitter Ciara Rimoldi picked up an RBI with a lined shot up the middle that scored Evans and then Troup came home on an error by the Eagle first baseman to make up the final 5-0 margin.

Norris picked up the win to move to 24-12 on the season, spreading four hits over seven innings and fanning six Boston College batters in facing just five over the minimum.