Pirate Softball Falls to North Carolina in Season Opener
February 12, 2003 | Softball
In game one, North Carolina's Crystal Cox pitched a no-hitter, striking out 13 of 23 batters faced. Cox walked only one batter in the seven innings pitched. With the win, Cox improved to 1-1 on the season. For ECU, Maggie Lingo pitched the first four innings of play, allowing three earned runs and striking out only one batter. She was relieved in the fifth by freshman Brittany Boyd, allowing two hits and one run. Boyd stuck out one batter on the afternoon. Lingo was credited with the loss, her first of the season, making her record 0-1 on the season.
North Carolina scored its first run in the first inning on a double by Jaclyn Holden, bringing in Tiffany Tolleson. Holden ended the game with two hits and three RBI. The Tar Heels' next two runs came in the third inning on Holden's second double of the afternoon. UNC added its final run of the game in the fifth inning to win the game 4-0, handing ECU its first loss of the season. Tolleson was the only other Carolina batter to have two hits on the afternoon, four other batters ended the game with one hit.
"Obviously the first game we were a little disappointed," said ECU head coach Tracey Kee. "I think we came out very timid, offensively we just never made the adjustments at the plate which was obvious. Hats off to Crystal Cox from Chapel Hill, I think she threw very well. Defensively we were a little shaky. We played like it was our first game of the season."
Game two began with two scoreless innings. In the third, ECU's Kristen Johnson hit a solo shot over the left field fence to earn her first home run of the season. UNC answered the call in the top of the fourth, when Quinn Porter scored on a Jessica Robinson hit to center field.
In the bottom of the fourth, with the game tied at one, ECU scored three runs to take the lead once again. With runners on second and third, Lacassa Hill hit a quick shot to the third baseman, who missed the grounder, allowing Hill to reach first base, and sending the runner at third home. Johnson came to the plate with runners on first and second and hit a shot to deep center field, sending in the two runs to give ECU the 4-1 lead. North Carolina switched pitchers, putting Brandi Griffin in for Ashley Allen. Griffin got the Tar Heels out of the inning without another ECU run. Neither team scored in the fifth inning, leaving the score at 4-1 when play was suspended. The ECU softball field does not have lights, and therefore play was suspended due to darkness.
"After the first game obviously we were all disappointed," said Kee, "and all I asked them to do was to play it as if it were the last game of the season. I didn't think we had the energy or the hustle we possibly could have had in the first game. All I asked them to do was to step it up a notch and they responded well."
Freshman Brently Bridgeforth had allowed only one hit in the five innings prior to the suspension of the game. She struck out three batters and allowed only one earned run.
"The thing about Brently being a freshman is that she has great composure," said Kee. "You would never know with her game face that she had zero collegiate innings under her belt."
The conclusion of today's second game will be played tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 p.m. at Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Softball Complex does have lights, and can support a night time game.
The ECU softball team will play in the Triangle Classic this weekend, February 14-16. The Pirates will face Radford and Michigan State on Friday, February 14, and then play Temple on Saturday, February 15. All other games in the tournament are to be determined.
