May 19, 2007

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --- Winthrop put together a damaging five-run second inning and withstood some late offense from North Carolina to post a 6-3 win that eliminated UNC from the NCAA tournament Saturday evening at Tyson Park. The Tar Heels finished the season with a 46-21 record.

The Eagles got on the scoreboard in a big way in the bottom of the second, plating five runs with two outs to stake themselves to a healthy advantage early. A two-RBI triple from Winthrop left fielder Lauren Blaser started the damage, bringing home Mallory Hogan and Sarah Magee, and a double from right fielder Lisa Kingsmore scored another run, which brought Lisa Norris on in relief of UNC starter Amber Johnson. Norris gave up a single through the left side that allowed two more Eagles to cross the plate, and UNC faced a five-run deficit after two innings of play.

Anna Evans answered in the top of the third with a leadoff double to right center for the first Tar Heel hit of the game. Stephanie Murad followed with a base knock up the middle, and Evans came home with a head of steam as Eagle centerfielder Tessa Thomas threw a strike to the plate. A huge collision at home failed to jar the ball loose from Winthrop catcher Jenny Scrymgeour and Evans was called out to keep Carolina off the board.

Carolina strung together back-to-back hits again to start the top of the fourth, putting two runners on for Emily Troup. Troup drew a walk to load the bases with no outs, and Anna Roberts singled up the middle, bringing two Tar Heels home to get Carolina on the scoreboard. Izzy Trottier came on to pitch for the Eagles, relieving Megan Evans, and got two quick outs before Stephanie Murad struck for an RBI single that cut the UNC deficit to two at 5-3, which is where it stayed heading into the bottom half.

The UNC offense continued to threaten in the fifth as a leadoff single from Cassie Palmer and a one-out hit from Casey Testa put two Tar Heels on base. Palmer stole third but Winthrop pitcher Cari Wooldridge recorded a key strikeout to end the inning and keep the Eagle lead at two.

Jennifer Jacobs gave the Tar Heels their fourth straight hit to open an inning in the sixth, but UNC couldn't muster anything past that and the game went to the bottom half with the Tar Heels still trailing by a pair of runs.

The Eagles added a run in the sixth to pad their advantage to three, and Carolina entered its last at-bat down three.

Another leadoff single from Palmer started things off in the seventh for UNC and gave Carolina its 10th hit of the game, but again the Tar Heels failed to push across a run, leaving their seventh runner on in falling by three.

Wooldridge picked up the win to move her record to 17-5, while Johnson (14-7) took the loss for the Tar Heels.