UNC softball beats Coastal Carolina, 16-11, on Wednesday night

The North Carolina softball team (4-2) bested the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (3-2), 16-11, in a high-powered showdown on Wednesday night at St. John Stadium in Conway, S.C.

Senior outfielder Alex Coleman got the hitting started off for the Tar Heels after a the ball flew through a CCU glove. A barrage followed, with UNC loading the bases. A hit down the third base line from senior infielder Carlie Myrtle then brought all three runners on base home. 

After two strikeouts, Myrtle would be brought home, outrunning a throw from the outfield, making it 4-0 UNC. That would be the end of the carnage for Coastal Carolina as they struck a third batter out to end the top of the first.

Junior right-handed pitcher Kenna Raye Dark got the start for North Carolina, her fourth of the season. It was a rough start, with a CCU triple bringing two runners in to make it 4-2.

UNC loaded the bases again in the top of the second. A single from graduate outfielder Kiannah Pierce brought two runs in, forcing Coastal to make a very early pitching change. That switch proved to be fortuitous for the Chanticleers, with a lineout and strikeout ending the half-inning.

Continuing with the game theme of loaded bases, CCU dealt the same to UNC at the bottom of the second. Though the Tar Heels escaped unscathed, with a pop-up to shortstop calming UNC’s nerves.

The blazing start continued as a near-homer ball by Pierce was fumbled by CCU, driving in two runs. Myrtle then continued her hot streak, driving a ball straight down the second base line to bring in another run. 

A fastball to first after a line drive down the third baseline finally stopped the Chanticleer nightmare. The score was 10-2 UNC after the top of the third.

CCU scored off of a throwing error to make the score 10-3, but the anxiety was still on as the Chanticleers tried to escape the mercy rule, which in NCAA DI softball is an eight run lead after the fifth inning.

After a throwing error and a trio of singles in the bottom of the fourth, a run had been brought in for CCU and the bases were loaded yet again. A walk and a fly ball hit to shallow right both brought in runs, and UNC swapped pitchers.

First-year Lilly Parrish entered the game for the Tar Heels, wrapping up the inning but not before another Coastal run. It was 10-7 UNC at the end of the fourth.

The lull in scoring lasted until the bottom of the fifth as the Chanticleers blasted back-to-back homers, a three-runner coming from Libby Pippin followed by a solo trot from Delaney Keith.

This forced another pitching change from the Tar Heels as lefty sophomore Nikki Harris came in. A pop-fly gave UNC a third out, but it was 11-10 CCU as they had stormed back from eight down.

A Coastal error drove a run in for North Carolina, who followed that up with two more runs. The defense held strong in the bottom of the sixth, keeping the score 13-11 UNC.

The cycle continued with loaded bases for the Tar Heels in the top of the seventh, and third base turned into a run pipeline, with UNC scoring three times. The Tar Heels took down the Chanticleers 1-2-3 to end the contest.

Next up, UNC softball hosts the Tar Heel Invitational starting on February 13. The invitational kicks off with a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m. against Drexel.

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