May 8, 2008

• 2008 ACC Softball Championship Site
• Webcast Archived on ACC Select
• Box Score
• theACC.com Photo Gallery
  (More photos will be available for purchase. Check back to theacc.com/photostore.)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Led by 2008 ACC Player of the Year Danielle Spaulding, who tossed just the second solo no-hitter in ACC Championship history and the first since 1992, top-seeded North Carolina took care of business against No. 8 seed Virginia, 6-0, in first round action of the 2008 ACC Softball Championship on the campus of the University of Maryland. North Carolina is now 50-9-1 on the season, while Virginia falls to 15-38.

In just the second ACC Championship start of her career, Spaulding registered the second perfect game in North Carolina softball history. Tossing her 15th complete game of the season, she struck out nine, improving her team-best ERA to 0.86.

The North Carolina offense, which led the league during the season with 309 runs scored, put up eight hits on the evening, including two for extra bases against Virginia's pitchers. Spaulding, who batted.318 during the regular season, helped her cause at the plate with two hits, two RBIs and one run scored. Also coming up big at the plate were second baseman Cassie Palmer and first baseman Jennifer Jacobs, who combined for four hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Next up for head coach Eileen Schmidt and the Cavaliers will be the loser of today's fourth game, between Georgia Tech and NC State, at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning. The Cavaliers beat each team once during the regular season.

North Carolina, now 19-2 against ACC opponents this season, will face the winner of the Georgia Tech/NC State matchup tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.

In tonight's final game, following the contest between the Yellow Jackets and Wolfpack, sixth-seeded Boston College and No. 7 Maryland will square off in the first elimination game of the 2008 ACC Championship. Both games will be webcast live on www.ACCSelect.com.