March 25, 2018
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – A seventh-inning, seeing-eye single was the scoring play for North Carolina in Sunday’s series finale against the University of Notre Dame softball team. The Tar Heels stranded the go-ahead or tying Irish run in scoring position on five occasions during the game to claim a 1-0 win and series triumph at Melissa Cook Stadium.
How It Happened
Alexis Holloway (13-6) and the Notre Dame (20-10, 5-3 ACC) defense battled around a two-out error to stall North Carolina (16-16, 6-3 ACC) in the top of the first inning. A strikeout looking with the Tar Heel runner at second base ended the frame.
The Irish loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first inning and came out of the situation with nothing on the scoreboard. Consecutive outs by way of the infield fly rule and a ground ball to second base erased any potential damage.
A one-out single to left field for North Carolina attempted to kick start the Tar Heels offense in the top of the third. A 4-3 double play for Notre Dame erased the North Carolina runner and ended the inning.
North Carolina went down in order in the top of the fifth inning. Three straight ground ball outs turned the Tar Heels aside.
The same could be said for the North Carolina order in the top of the sixth. A groundout to first base, a swinging strikeout and pop up out to second ended the inning.
North Carolina scored the winning run in the top of the seventh. A line drive single to shortstop on a near catch started the rally with one out, before a weak ground ball through the 5-6 hole found the grass in left field two batters later to score the run from second and push the Tar Heels ahead 1-0.
Up Next
Notre Dame hosts Eastern Michigan and Purdue in midweek action at Melissa Cook Stadium. Tuesday’s first pitch with EMU is set for 4:30 p.m. (ET), with Wednesday’s tilt versus Purdue a 5 p.m. start.
–ND–