Softball ACCtion: Sunday, April 27
North Carolina wraps up regular season title with Sunday sweep of Virginia Tech.



April 28, 2008

No. 14 Tar Heels Sweep No. 18 Hokies For ACC Regular Season Title

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Needing just six outs to claim the first ACC regular season title in 10 years after rain halted the second game on Saturday the No. 14 Tar Heels (49-9-1, 18-2 ACC) sent sophomore Danielle Spaulding, who struck out eight in five no-hit innings on Saturday, to the circle against No. 18 Virginia Tech (40-14, 16-5 ACC). The Hokies were able to scratch out a single run in the bottom of the seventh but nothing more as Carolina went on to claim a 2-1 win and just their third ACC regular season title in school history. The Tar Heels would go on to capture the series finale with a 2-0 win and set yet another record in the process as Carolina picked up win number 49 on the year, which is a new school single season record.

Spaulding stepped into the circle in the bottom of the sixth and kept her no-hitter alive as she sat the first three batters she faced down in order to put the Tar Heels within three outs of the championship. The bottom of the seventh brought the Hokie crowd back into the game as the first two batters reached base on a walk and a hit by pitch. Spaulding was able to get Jessica Everhart to pop up to centerfielder Breanna Brown to tally the first out of the inning. Whitney Davis finally broke up the no-hitter as she dropped a single into left center to score Misty Hall from second and cut the deficit to just one (2-1).


Weaver's Two Home Runs Gives Georgia Tech Weekend Sweep Of Maryland

ATLANTA - Freshman Jessica Weaver hit the go-ahead home run in each game as Georgia Tech (30-28, 9-11 ACC) completed the weekend sweep of Maryland (34-18, 6-12) at Glenn Field. Weaver's blast in the fourth inning of yesterday's 4-2 suspended game turned out to the game-winner when play resumed after a 67-minute rain delay today. She then led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-3 win in the scheduled series finale.

Georgia Tech was 10-21 on March 21, but will end the regular season over .500 for the first time. Senior Whitney Humphreys (18-14) picked up a save in the suspended game and then battled through a complete-game win in Sunday's series finale. She threw 137 pitches, but got out of some big jams and gave the Jackets the win. She also picked up a save in the suspended game after junior Tiffany Johnson hurled six strong innings.


Seminoles Pull Off 10-1 Win for Weekend Sweep of NC State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Following an eight-inning win Saturday night, the Florida State softball team dominated the field for five innings on Senior Day to clinch the series sweep with a 10-1 victory over NC State. With the win, FSU is now 36-23 and in third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 12-9 record.

The Seminoles have not sweep a series with the Wolfpack since their first meeting in 2004 when FSU won the two-game series at the Seminole Softball Complex. Florida State also took over the all-time series record which is now 9-7 in favor of the Garnet and Gold.

Recording win number 16 was Tiffany McDonald who was honored along side her fellow seniors in a special Senior Day ceremony before the start of the game.


Cameron Home Run Lifts Virginia Over BC

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Second baseman Kierstie Cameron hit a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to lift the Virginia softball team (15-37, 6-15 ACC) past Boston College (29-27, 5-13 ACC) 2-1 Sunday in the final game of the regular season at Commander Shea Field.

Cameron's shot to deep left proved to be the game winner for UVa, but the Cavaliers still lost the series to the Eagles two games to one.

Boston College finished the game with six hits while the Virginia had five. Cameron singled in addition to her home run for a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

First year Allee Rife earned the win in the circle after coming on in relief for starter Whitney Holstun. Rife tossed the final four innings and allowed just two hits while recording three strikeouts. Holstun threw three innings, giving up four hits and striking out one.