CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC Greensboro suffered its second straight heartbreaker in a 9-inning, 2-1 loss to St. Joseph's to open play Saturday at the Carolina Classic, then saw No. 23/24 North Carolina explode for eight runs in the sixth to blow open a pitchers' duel and take an 8-0 win in the nightcap.
After a scoreless first seven innings, the Spartans (1-6) had the bases loaded with no one out in the bottom of the eighth against St. Joe's (2-1), but couldn't push a run across.
The Hawks capitalized on UNCG's missed opportunity, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth and holding off a Spartan rally in the bottom half to take the win.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson (0-2) was the hard-luck loser, as she allowed just two unearned runs on seven hits and two walks in 9 innings of work.
With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, SJU's Taryn Ashwayk was placed on second to lead off the ninth. Bernadette Moran sacrificed pinch-runner Taylor Korpita to third, and Deanna Stinner brought Korpita in with a sacrifice fly to left. After Rochelle Christman walked and stole second, Alaina Loguidice reached on a UNCG error that allowed Christman to score.
The Spartans answered with a run in the bottom half, with Heather Robb placed on second to start the inning. An Eileen Horsmon single brought Robb in to cut the deficit in half, but SJU pitcher Erin Gallagher (2-1) retired the next three batters in order to end the game.
UNCG had a golden opportunity in the eighth, with Brittany Ausley placed on second and Kristen Gabel intentionally walked to set up the force out at third. Alex Emeterio drew a walk to load the bases, but Gallagher would get a strikeout, foul-out and fielder's choice to escape unscathed.
Mattson was in control from the get-go, retiring the game's first six batters before allowing a leadoff walk in the third. SJU's best chance to score in regulation came in the fifth inning, but Gabel cut down Christman at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
The Spartans, meanwhile, missed chances of their own to score early, with Gabel knocking a one-out double in the first inning before being stranded at third.
UNCG put runners on the corners with one out in the second, but couldn't push a run across then, either. Finally, Kaitlin Merkt doubled and Emily Akiyama walked to lead off the fourth, but Gallagher again got three straight outs to get out of trouble.
Horsmon finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Spartans. Dana Parks was 3-for-5 for the Hawks.
Gallagher tossed 6 solid innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and four walks. Ashwayk pitched 3-plus innings, allowing three hits and a walk before yielding to Gallagher in the fourth.
UNCG's game against North Carolina started much the same way, with starter Amber Harrell matching the Tar Heels' Danielle Spaulding and Amber Johnson inning-for-inning in another pitchers' duel.
Emeterio broke up Spaulding's perfect game with a single up the middle with two down in the fourth inning, and freshman Ally Johnson singled to right off of Johnson one inning later, but UNCG couldn't get a sustained rally going. The Spartans' only other base-runner was Gabel in the sixth. She reached on a Tar Heel error with two outs but was stranded at first.
Meanwhile, Harrell dodged trouble and kept the Tar Heel hitters at bay through the first five innings despite issuing six walks to that point. Ally Blake's second-inning double and Brittany Robinson's third-inning single were UNC's lone hits prior to the sixth inning, but that was when the wheels fell off for the Spartans.
Harrell issued back-to-back walks to start the inning, and after a sacrifice moved both runners over, two runs scored on Stephanie Murad's single and a UNCG error. Another walk knocked Harrell from the game, and another UNCG defensive miscue loaded the bases. Reliever Raeanne Hanks then walked in a run before Anna Roberts launched a grand slam out to center to make it 7-0. Blake's RBI single later in the inning put the mercy rule into effect.
Harrell fell to 0-3 with the loss, as she allowed four runs – two earned – on three hits and nine walks in 5 1/3 innings of work. Hanks allowed four runs on three hits and a pair of walks in a third of an inning.
Johnson (3-2) picked up the win for the Tar Heels, as she surrendered no runs on just one hit in 2 innings. Spaulding allowed just one hit in 4 innings of work, fanning 11 – recording all but one of her outs via the strikeout. She whiffed UNCG's first eight batters of the game before Jordan Jewett grounded out to third to end the third inning.
UNCG will face Delaware in the consolation bracket of the Carolina Classic on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Blue Hens handed the Spartans a morale-sapping loss Friday, jumping out to a 7-1 lead before seeing UNCG tie the game in the late stages. Delaware then scored with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to steal the win, 8-7.
AGATE
St. Joseph's 2, UNC Greensboro 1 (Feb 20, 2010 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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St. Joseph's........ 000 000 002 - 2 7 1 (2-1)
UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 001 - 1 6 1 (1-5)
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Pitchers: St. Joseph's - Erin Gallagher; Taryn Ashway(7) and Brooke Darreff. UNC Greensboro - Cory Mattson and Whitney Sirois.
Win-Erin Gallagher(2-1) Loss-Cory Mattson(0-2) T-2:17 A-112
Weather: Clear, 50s
Ashwayk faced 1 batter in the 4th.
North Carolina 8, UNC Greensboro 0 (Feb 20, 2010 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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UNC Greensboro...... 000 000 - 0 2 2 (1-6)
North Carolina...... 000 008 - 8 6 1 (5-3)
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Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Amber Harrell; Raeanne Hanks(6) and Whitney Sirois. North Carolina - Danielle Spaulding; Amber Johnson(5) and Brittany McKinney; Ally Blake.
Win-Amber Johnson(3-2) Loss-Amber Harrell(0-3) T-2:01 A-300
HR NC - Anna Roberts (1).
Weather: 50s, clear, cool
- UNCG -
