Spingola stops FSU in two complete games

After a home run by Kelli Wheeler in the first Tar Heel at-bat of Sunday’s game — the last of a three-game series which the North Carolina softball team swept — the Tar Heels were left high and dry, stuck with a slim 1-0 lead.

But as sophomore Elisha Elliott stepped up to bat, winds of change swept over the team.

Elliott capitalized on the Seminoles’ first error of the day, as the first baseman attempted to tag her out instead of taking the easy force-out and stepping on the bag.

“We were only up by one run,” Elliott said. “So it was really important for me to get on base to start the rally so we could all get behind each other.”

Haleigh Dickey launched a change-up to the center-field wall for a single that brought Elliott home and gave UNC (23-12, 5-1 ACC) a 2-0 lead.

“I just knew I needed to hit it hard and relax,” Dickey said. “My coaches caught on to the change up and called it, so I just sat back and waited for it.”

From that point on, FSU pitcher Sarah Hamilton struggled on the mound. She threw back-to-back walks to load the bases.

FSU (16-17, 2-4 ACC) evaded the jam with a pop-out and a strikeout to escape the inning without another run.

“Hamilton is tough,” 26-year head coach Donna Papa said. “She mixes up the pitches well, so we wanted to put people in the lineup that we knew were going to be able to attack the ball.”

A two-run homer from junior Ally Blake in the sixth was the exclamation point that sealed the shutout win for UNC, registering Papa’s 1,000th career victory.

“We’d usually be fatigued on the third game in a series,” Elliott said. “But we really wanted to win this game for coach. We were really excited for her to get this win at home.”

Saturday’s games were less eventful for UNC. In the first game, freshman Lori Spingola pitched a complete-game shutout as UNC defeated FSU 1-0 after scoring on a walk in the fourth frame.

Wheeler led off the inning with a double to right-center field. Blake was walked and Dickey hit a single to load the bases for the Tar Heels. Brittany McKinney took a pitch to the wrist to bring Wheeler across the plate for the lead.

The Seminoles loaded the bases in the fifth frame, but Spingola escaped unscathed with a pop-out. When the Seminoles threatened for the last time in the sixth, Dani Manko ended the inning with a leaping catch to preserve the lead.

Freshman Sara Buchholz started the second game Saturday and threw 4 1/3 shutout innings before Spingola entered in relief. Spingola allowed just two runs on five hits.

Offensively, Elliott notched a single and an RBI in her first career ACC start on Saturday.

“Elisha is a gritty player,” Papa said. “She’s tough. She’s worked her way into our lineup.”

UNC answered FSU’s 2-1 lead as Elliot drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the score, and second baseman Kelsey Green hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Tisha Mahon home and seal the Tar Heel victory.

“I’m thrilled we swept Florida State,” Papa said. “I think it’s a testament to our focus. We played tough.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.