Kat Rodriguez breaks UNC softball's single-season RBI record in series win over GT

A misspelled email address almost prevented graduate second baseman Kat Rodriguez from coming to UNC. 

When Rodriguez entered the transfer portal after her senior year at Pittsburgh, UNC softball head coach Megan Smith Lyon immediately expressed interest. The second baseman only had 61 RBIs in her four-year career, but when North Carolina faced Pitt during the 2024 season, Smith Lyon was impressed by Rodriguez’s defensive leadership and 0.336 batting average. 

But when Smith Lyon and the coaching staff messaged Rodriguez, they spelled her email address wrong. They were the first to contact her, but Rodriguez never got the email. Luckily, she was already interested in coming to Chapel Hill, so she reached out to redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Britton Rogers. 

After visiting North Carolina in the beginning of the summer, she decided to ruminate on her commitment decision.

“I was on vacation, and I’m like, ‘What am I trying to compare other schools to?'” Rodriguez said. “I was like, ‘UNC is the perfect fit for me,’ and the second I got back from vacation I committed right on the spot.” 

And her decision led to a historic season. On Saturday, Rodriguez’s five RBIs brought her season total to 71, breaking Kendra Lynch’s 2017 program record for most RBIs in a single season. Rodriguez propelled the Tar Heels to an 8-7 comeback win in game two over Georgia Tech at Anderson Softball Stadium. The momentum from Saturday night then carried North Carolina to a smoother 8-3 victory on Sunday to clinch the weekend series. 

UNC lost the first game of its doubleheader on Saturday against Georgia Tech 8-2, and it looked like the second game might go the same way. The Yellowjackets led 7-1 after the top of the fourth inning. 

Smith Lyon teaches her players to focus on the task at hand, which became clawing themselves back into the game one at-bat at a time. 

With one out to work with, senior right fielder Alex Coleman singled to second base, bringing in the second run of the inning and loading the bases. The Tar Heels decreased the deficit to 7-3.

Rodriguez stepped up to the plate. Georgia Tech's first baseman stood on the edge of the infield, about 10 feet left of first base. On the fourth pitch, which came in around Rodriguez’s elbow, she swung and hit. The ball arced over first base, landing just inches inside the line as the right fielder sprinted to collect it.

Three runs scored before Rodriguez stopped at second base. She put her hands on her head and swung her hips in celebration. The Tar Heels were now down by only one.

“She has just been a huge, huge spark for our team,” Smith Lyon said. “We can count on her. She’s clutch. Gosh, she’s amazing.” 

With sophomore pitcher Nikki Harris in the circle, Georgia Tech’s offense didn't score again. But UNC was still looking to complete the comeback in the bottom of the sixth.

Rodriguez told her teammates to get on base for her. Coleman made it to first with a bunt. It was Rodriguez's turn. It only took her two pitches.

"I kind of took it to heart a little that they aren't pitching around me," Rodriguez said. "So, I was like, 'Alright, you're just gonna keep pitching to me, I'm gonna keep scoring them.'"

She lifted a ball over the wall in left field — the game-winning home run. Her teammates gathered around home plate, Rodriguez jumped into their arms and the Tar Heels threw her into the air.  

“Kat’s our number one,” junior pitcher Kenna Raye Dark said. “Definitely this weekend she set the tone for us. She’s one you can rely on anytime she’s in the box. You already know that she’s probably going to hit a home run or probably going to hit a double.”

Rodriguez hits 0.465, and her fielding percentage is 0.975 for the season. Softball America ranked her the No. 1 second baseman in the country in its April power rankings. 

The graduate player credits her success to the support she gets from her teammates. She went from a Pittsburgh team that posted a 17-32 record and sat at the bottom of the ACC in 2024 to joining the Tar Heels, who are now 32-13. 

“It’s fun, and I guess I’m doing better this year, but I think having my teammates in front of me is really what’s doing it,” she said. “Because without them, I wouldn’t be getting those RBIs. I went in there with bases loaded and one out.” 

And to think it almost didn't happen. She has been the defensive leader that Smith Lyon expected her to be; from her perch at the top of the infield, she gives the pitchers information. When Dark turns around to tell the infielders to be ready for balls coming their way, Rodriguez’s answer is simple: 

“Feed me.” 

@BeckettBrant