The North Carolina softball team (34-13, 11-8 ACC) overpowered N.C. State (22-24, 4-15 ACC), 2-1, on Thursday evening at Anderson Softball Stadium to kick off the weekend series.
UNC secured the win with two runs in the first inning after a four-inning scoring drought for both sides, holding the Wolfpack to just one run on six hits.
Junior pitcher Kenna Raye Dark started on the mound for the Tar Heels, recording a strikeout swinging right off the bat in the top of the first. Senior right fielder Alex Coleman extended to secure a fly ball and the third out to give UNC possession.
“Our defense was on point,” head coach Megan Smith Lyon said. “I mean, our outfielders did a great job. I thought Alex had some good plays in foul territory. And overall, defense and pitching is what won us that game.”
With two bases loaded, senior first baseman Carlie Myrtle stepped up and singled to center field, advancing to second on the throw and sending both runners home. North Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
In the bottom of the third, graduate second baseman Kat Rodriguez walked after four consecutive balls, and sophomore center fielder Sanaa Thompson advanced to first after being hit by the pitch. With two outs, a strike by graduate designated player Kiannah Pierce was caught by N.C. State third baseman Taryn Massey, who grounded Rodriguez out.
After a single by N.C. State first baseman Taylor Ensley, UNC’s outfield recorded three consecutive fly outs to keep the Wolfpack scoreless in the top of the fourth.
“Their swings are very oriented to hit home runs,” senior first baseman Carlie Myrtle said. “And so with throwing the down ball and then swinging up, that's how physics work. They're just going to try and hit it up. And it was off the end of the bat a lot of the time. So thankfully Alex made a lot of good plays in right field, and I was able to track some down.”
Sophomore catcher Rayna Blackwell advanced to first after being hit by the pitch, but the Tar Heels recorded three outs in a row to keep the score 2-0 at the end of the fourth inning.
