The UNC softball team began its season in Tallahassee, Florida, at the JoAnne Graf Classic this past weekend, in a tournament where the program experienced both sides of a walk-off win, won three straight games and earned its 1,500th victory.
Despite the rocky start, where the team dropped two games to top-ten teams, the team turned things around in the second day of competition. UNC began Saturday by beating Detroit Mercy 8-0 in five innings before turning in a comeback performance against the Crimson Tide in its second game of the day.
Down by four heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, junior catcher Zoë Goodman pinch hit a bases-clearing double to earn Carolina the 9-8 win, marking the program’s highest-ranked win ever and its first win over Alabama.
The team was not finished with making history, however, as they continued to add to the record books on Sunday. Facing Detroit Mercy once again, UNC dominated early to win 11-3, the program’s 1,500 win. Pitcher Hannah George threw four shutout innings, freshman infielder Destiny Middleton stole four bases and juniors Megan Dray and Kristina Burkhardt each drove in three runs against the Titans.
Up Next:
The Tar Heels, who’s record now sits at 3-2, return home to host Campbell on Wednesday February 12 at 5 p.m. The team will then welcome Michigan, Wisconsin and Louisville for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Friday through Sunday at Anderson Stadium.
Photo via GoHeels/Jeffrey A. Camarti.
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