The fourth-seeded North Carolina softball team (34-17, 17-7 ACC) used a six-run fifth inning to defeat fifth-seeded Louisville (33-21, 12-12), 9-3, in the team's first game of the ACC Tournament in Tallahassee, Fl. on Thursday.
What happened?
The Cardinals drew first blood in the second inning with an RBI single, then followed that up in the third inning with a two-run home run to take an early 3-0 lead.
From that point on, however, it was all Tar Heels.
In the bottom of the third, UNC's Kristina Burkhardt batted in Campbell Hutcherson for North Carolina's first run of the day, then Kiani Ramsey's two-run double knotted the game at three runs apiece.
Every run thereafter came in the fifth inning courtesy of the Tar Heels. Burkhardt started the rally with an RBI single to give her team it would not relinquish. Ramsey and junior Brittany Pickett both drew walks with the bases loaded to manufacture two more runs, then Megan Dray's two-run double gave the Tar Heels a five-run lead.
A sacrifice fly by Zoe Goodman gave UNC its last run of the day, cementing the North Carolina win and a spot in the ACC semifinals.
Who stood out?
After allowing three runs in the first three innings, Pickett settled in and pitched a gem, striking out eight Cardinals and throwing a complete game. The win was Pickett's 20th of the season, a team high, and came in the Tar Heel's most important game to date.
