Softball: UNC softball reaches 40 wins in record time against Va. Tech

Danielle Spaulding fell short of her 14.6 strikeout per game average Saturday afternoon but then again the game lasted only five innings.

In the first game of a three-game series" No. 13 North Carolina plastered Virginia Tech with an 8-0 mercy rule victory en route to a sweep of the Hokies.

The first win broke the school record as the team became the fastest in school history to reach the 40-win plateau. The other two victories moved the UNC softball team within one win of the ACC regular season crown.

""I've always thought that winning the regular season was better than the tournament" because the tournament is who's better that weekend" coach Donna Papa said. The regular season is who's been good all year.""

The trio of victories moves the Tar Heels' current win streak to 21 and inches this group closer toward the all-time UNC record of 28 wins in a row set in 2007.

Many of the players that helped establish that record are still on the team"" including starting pitchers Lisa Norris and Spaulding.

The pair got the better of the Hokies' lineup all weekend — limiting them to only six hits and one run on the weekend.

""I feel pretty confident behind both of them"" shortstop Christine Knauer said. They are both really strong pitchers. I think the whole team feels confident behind either of them.""

And for good reason.

Spaulding's 14.6 strikeouts per seven innings is No. 1 in the country" and she and Norris boast 0.92 and 1.00 ERAs" respectively. And Spaulding also registered seven RBI's on five hits.

""My strategy was just to focus on pitching when I needed to and hitting when I needed to"" Spaulding said. Just take one pitch at a time and go for it.""

Papa reinforced that sentiment"" saying that the team focuses on the task at hand.

""We haven't even talked about how many games we've won in a row" Papa said. I think whenever you do that you play tighter" and you play fearing to lose instead of just doing what you need to do to win.""

But the senior day game Sunday did mean a little bit more to Papa and the class of 2009"" which has achieved an overall record of 186-59-1.

""It says a lot about that group" and they've stayed together since they were freshman — we didn't lose anybody in that class Papa said. They're your epitome of coachable players: great student athletes great teammates great leaders. They're very talented on the field" and I have enjoyed having them.""

But after Sunday" it will be business as usual for the team. And at the end of the week" the Tar Heels hope to have locked up the No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament — something they haven't won since 2001.

""You know" our goal every year — and for every team in the ACC — is to win it" Papa said.

And last year we won the regular season and didn't win the tournament. And that was a disappointment.""



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