May 14, 2009

Tar Heels Rout Campbell In Record Fashion

CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina scored 16 runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a record-setting 21-2 win over Campbell Thursday afternoon on the first day of the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional at Anderson Stadium. UNC (46-11) established NCAA Championship records for runs in an inning (16), total runs (21) and margin of victory (19) in winning their NCAA opener for just the second time in eight trips to the tournament. Alyssa Francona knocked in four runs in the first, including a three-run home run off the scoreboard in left center.

Christine Knauer opened the record-breaking first inning with a slap single over third base before stealing second and scoring on a pair of wild pitches by Campbell starter Brittany Stanley (19-5). After a pair of walks and an error, Ally Blake singled to right to score Kelsey Green.

Whitney Allen then grounded to short with the bases loaded, but Amanda Miller's throw home struck Emily Troup between second and third to score two more. Francona then delivered her first home run of the season to make it 7-0, but the Tar Heels were just getting started.

Campbell pitcher Katie Woodcock relieved Stanley following the Francona blast, and quickly allowed four runs on a Danielle Spaulding RBI groundout, a two-run double by Brittany McKenney and an Troup single. Stanley returned to the circle after the Troup RBI and was touched up for four more runs, highlighted by two-run singles from Constance Orr and Breanna Brown.