Jenna Kelly's timely homers clinch UNC softball series over N.C. State

Jenna Kelly knew what was coming.

After rivals North Carolina (33-11, 15-4 ACC) and N.C. State (26-19, 10-8 ACC) split the first two games of their series — with UNC dropping Friday’s 6-2 affair before claiming a 3-2 win Saturday — Kelly was facing pitcher Emily Weiman for the ninth time in two days.

But with Weiman having pitched the previous 18.2 innings against the Tar Heels, the senior first baseman could see her wearing down.

“You could tell that she was getting fatigued,” Kelly said. “I think pitching three games to a really good hitting team is really difficult.

“She was throwing more changeups, so she was predictable.”

So with two outs and a two-run advantage in the fifth inning of Saturday’s finale — which North Carolina would claim 6-2 — Kelly knew what to expect.

“I really thought she was going to throw the changeup,” she said. “I swung and it fell off the first pitch, so I was just waiting.”

On the next pitch, Kelly ripped a two-run homer to center, putting the game away for the Tar Heels and sending Weiman to the dugout — snapping a streak of 57.1 consecutive innings pitched.

“You see (the opposing pitcher) so often, you start to recognize the pitches that are about to come,” said Kristen Brown, who homered twice in the Tar Heels’ series-clinching win. “You don’t go up there trying to hit a home run, it just kind of happens.

“You see a pitch and you swing.”

In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Kelly’s patience again paid dividends for the Tar Heels.

With her team down two and desperate for an offensive spark, Kelly drew a 3-0 count from Weiman, who had just walked the previous two batters.

And after watching a pitch hit the zone, Kelly sent the next pitch over the fence for a three-run shot, taking the game and turning the tide in the series for the Tar Heels.

“That gave us the sigh of relief,” Coach Donna Papa said. “We got nine hits (the previous game), but we didn’t string anything together and ended up losing. When she got that hit, honestly it just kind of opened the doors for us.”

For Papa, the game-winning hit was even more significant coming from Kelly.

“She’s probably one of our hardest workers,” the coach said. “She came every day before summer school at 6:30 in the morning. You love to see a kid like that get that.”

And for Kelly, producing the runs that earned her team a series victory over its in-state rival — on the Wolfpack Senior Day, no less — meant everything.

“It’s great, I love it,” she said. “That’s why I play.”

sports@dailytarheel.com