GREENSBORO, NC The UNC Greensboro softball team dropped both ends of a twinbill to No. 23 North Carolina in softball action at UNCG Softball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. UNCG fell, 4-0 in game one and 3-1 in the nightcap.
UNCG (9-13) was led by third baseman Emily Akiyama who was 2-for-3 from behind the plate good for a .667 batting percentage on the afternoon. Leadoff hitter Mary Greenway was next for the Spartans and was 2-of-7 with a double. Sophomore Brittany Ausley also hit a home run.
In the first game the Spartans couldn't get anything going from behind the plate. North Carolina took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a two-run home run from North Carolina's Alyssa Francona which brought Brittany McKinney around the bases as well.
North Carolina added another pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning and pitcher Lisa Norris had a no-hitter going but a double from Mary Catherine Vercoe to left field broke that up in the bottom of the fifth but the Tar Heels took the first game, 4-0.
Amber Harrell took her sixth loss of the season after twirling her 10th complete game of the season. The McDonough, GA native allowed four runs on six hits and walked three on the afternoon.
The night cap was a pitchers duel from the outset as neither team was able to get a run until the fifth inning. North Carolina got on the board in the top of the inning with a double to left center from Breanna Brown, who advanced to third base on a groundout. She was driven home on an RBI single and put the lead with North Carolina.
The Tar Heels added to their tally in the top of the sixth with a two-out double from Bree Ensigminger and she scored on an RBI single in right field. The hits kept coming for North Carolina and a double to right center scored another run to put the lead at 3-0.
The Spartans were able to get on the board with a home run from outfielder Brittany Ausley, her first of the season, in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-1 where it would stay. Mary Greenway and Emily Akiyama led UNCG from the plate with two hits each. Hannah Angel (3-7) took the loss after pitching 7.0 innings of work and allowing three runs on 11 hits.
UNCG returns to the softball diamond this weekend when they head to Atlanta, GA for the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic. They will take on Radford, Troy, Toledo and Missouri State in pool play and will conclude the weekend with bracket play on Sunday.
AGATE:
Game One
North Carolina...... 022 000 0 - 4 6 0
UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 0 - 0 1 0
Pitchers: North Carolina - Norris; Johnson(6). UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell.
Win-Norris(6-3) Loss-Amber Harrell(6-6) T-4:48 A-112
HR NC - Francona (2).
Game Two
North Carolina...... 000 012 0 - 3 11 1
UNC Greensboro...... 000 001 0 - 1 6 0
Pitchers: North Carolina - Sutton; Norris(5). UNC Greensboro - Hannah Angel.
Win-Sutton(4-1) Save-Norris(1) Loss-Hannah Angel(3-7) T-7:09pm A-67
HR UNCG - Brittany Ausley
- UNCG -
