UNC's softball team wins season debut against George Washington, 1-0

The North Carolina softball team (1-0, 0-0) won its season opener 1-0 against George Washington (0-1, 0-0) in the Tar Heels’ first game of the Carolina Classic. 

What happened: 

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm at bat in the first two innings of their seasons. The two teams only managed to get to its third hitter in their respective batting rotation once in the first two innings. 

The teams’ hitting woes continued into the third inning, but the Tar Heels scored a run thanks to sophomore outfielder Carsyn Snead, who scored UNC’s lone run of the game after stealing third base and then advancing to home plate after a George Washington throwing error. 

The Tar Heels and Colonials continued to struggle at bat due to strong pitching, infield and outfield play from both teams; from there, UNC rode its one-point lead through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings into the decisive top of the seventh. 

With one last chance to win or send the game into extra innings, the Tar Heels’ defense stood strong, grounding out each of the Colonials first three batters to secure the 1-0 victory. 

Who stood out:  

Junior infielder Katie Perkins made her presence felt at first base, as she recorded a game-high 12 putouts against the Colonials. Her defensive played was a critical factor in the Tar Heels’ tightly contested, low scoring victory against George Washington. Perkins also had one of UNC’s two hits during the game.

Senior pitcher Hannah George also made a big impact in the game for the Tar Heels. George pitched all seven innings and only allowed three hits. George also recorded three strikeouts while committing no errors.  

When was it decided: 

When it seemed like neither team could find any rhythm on offense, George Washington’s defensive miscues and errors that allowed Snead to score certainly felt like a turning point in such a defense-oriented game. 

But despite their third-inning miscues, the Colonials kept themselves within striking distance of the Tar Heels through ace pitching and stout infield and outfield play. The game wasn’t truly decided until the top of the seventh inning, when UNC’s infield continued to stymie the Colonials hitters, as the first three George Washington batters were putout to eliminate any hopes they had of making a late game comeback against the Tar Heels. 

Why does it matter: 

Aside from starting the season off on the right foot with a win, UNC’s 1-0 victory against George Washington is significant because it shows them where they need to improve and what they are doing well. 

The Tar Heels’ infield played suffocating defense against the Colonials, which may be an early indication that UNC can lean on its defense during throughout the season. It also shows that the Tar Heels may be poised to make a defensive turnaround after recording the least putouts and second-most errors in the ACC last season. 

While this game shows that the Tar Heels might have improved in one area, it also indicates they need to work on another much more — hitting. The Tar Heels had just two hits against George Washington. 

If the Tar Heels have any hopes of improving upon its14-26 overall record and 10-19 ACC record from last season, they’ll need to carry over their pitching and infield play while making significant improvements at bat. 

When do they play next: 

The Tar Heels next game is Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. against Lipscomb in UNC’s second game of the Carolina Classic in Columba, S.C. 

@coopermetts 

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