April 22, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 20 North Carolina (45-12, 12-4 ACC) scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and Crystal Cox threw a complete-game to lead the Tar Heels past Georgia Tech (39-15, 10-6 ACC), 5-4, in Atlantic Coast Conference softball action on Saturday. Game two of the scheduled doubleheader was halted in the top of the fifth inning, scoreless, due to lightning in the area.
Freshman Whitney Haller led the Yellow Jackets offensively in the opener, going 2-for-3, with a home run (22) and two runs batted in. Sophomore Whitney Humphreys (16-4) took the loss in the circle, throwing 5.0 innings, scattering seven hits, five runs, four earned runs and struck out one.
Cox (24-6) got the win for the Tar Heels, going the distance, allowing six hits, four earned runs and fanned six. Cassie Palmer went 2-for-3, with one run scored and one RBI.
Sophomore Aileen Morales and Haller went back-to-back in the top of the first inning to give the Yellow Jackets an early 2-0 lead. UNC’s Palmer doubled off the left field fence in the bottom half of the inning, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a ground out to put the Tar Heels on the scoreboard, 2-1.
Tech added two more runs in the top of the second inning as senior Christine Sheridan and Haller drove in runs to give Tech a 4-1 lead. Carolina responded with two runs of its own as Palmer and Breanna Brown drove in runs as the Jackets lead was cut to one, 4-3.
UNC rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning on two runs as Lisa Norris drove in a run and the Heels then scored the go ahead run on a throw to third base from the outfield after a base hit that collided with the base runner as she slid and rolled to the Tech dugout as the Jackets trailed for the first time, 5-4.
Cox put Tech down in order in the top of the seventh inning as the Yellow Jackets dropped game one. The Jackets scored four runs, on six hits and committed one error, while UNC scored five runs, on eight hits and had no errors.
In game two, the Jackets placed runners at second and third with no outs in the top of the second inning as senior Amy Hosier walked and junior Caitlin Lever doubled off the top of the center field fence. The Tar Heels kept Tech off the scoreboard on a fine play at the plate from second base and two more puts to the right side.
With the game scoreless in the top of the fifth inning, the game was halted due to lightning in the Chapel Hill area. The game will resume on Sunday at 12 Noon, with the third game of the series following immediately after.
Junior Sarah Wood (14-6) worked 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. UNC’s Norris worked 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and struck out one.
NOTES: GT’s Amy Hosier set a new single-season school record in walks (41).
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