Jeffery and West Combine to Upset No. 15 North Carolina
April 9, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Behind a two-run homer by junior catcher Jaime West to anchor a three-run first inning, the Charlotte 49ers (23-20; A-10: 5-3) upset No. 15 North Carolina (37-8-1) 3-1 in game two of doubleheader action Wednesday afternoon at the D.L. Phillips Softball Complex. Charlotte, who notches its first win against a ranked opponent this season, fell 8-0 in the early game.
Holding the 49ers to four hits in the first game, Carolina shutout the 49ers behind the pitching of Lisa Norris and closer Amber Johnson. Charlotte was led offensively by sophomore outfielder Serena Smith with two hits, while junior second baseman Sarah Malene and junior shortstop Cee Brooks contributed one apiece. Freshman pitcher Katy Hackett, moving to 10-10 on the season, struck out two batters in her five innings in the circle.
Carolina took advantage of an infield error in the top of the second to push across three runs, before tacking on two more runs on three hits in the top of the third off a home run and sacrifice fly down the left field line. The Tar Heels added another three runs in the top of the fifth with a two-run double and another sacrifice fly, which drove in the final run of the game.
In the second game, sophomore pitcher Emily Jeffery held Carolina to just one run on six hits, striking out five. Collecting the win in a complete seven innings, she moves to 12-8 on the season.
The Tar Heels found themselves in an early hole as leadoff batter Malene tripled to left center, scoring on a throwing error before West connected on her two-run homer, driving in Williams, who reached on a single to right center, in the bottom of the first. Charlotte returned in the third, putting runners on first and second off a Smith single and West walk, but Carolina ended the inning with a double play ground ball from sophomore utility Keri Palma, returning in the top of the fifth to score its lone run of the game off a homer to left field.
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Carolina would not go away quietly, though, in the seventh, as leadoff batter Allen singled before Jeffery collected her last strikeout of the contest and Smith brought down a fly ball to centerfield to get the back-to-back outs. Francona would keep the inning alive for the Tar Heels with a single back up the middle, but a Brown line out to Smith in centerfield would end the game.
Charlotte returns to action this weekend with a doubleheader at conference foe Saint Louis on Saturday.
