No. 15 North Carolina 8, Elon 0
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? The Elon softball team fell to the 15th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels 8-0 in the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. Elon dropped to 4-6 on the season, while UNC improved to 15-3.
Danielle Spaulding pitched a no-hitter and struck out 14 batters to pick up the win. With the loss, Melanie Helterbran fell to 2-2 on the year, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out one.
In the bottom of the second, Brittany McKinney reached on a Phoenix error and advanced to third on a single by Whitney Allen. McKinney would be tagged out at home on a throw from Brandi Jones to Kaitlyn Piazzolla to deny UNC the run and record the second out of the inning. Allen was caught stealing one play later to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Danielle Lafferty drew a two-out walk from Spaulding to give the Phoenix its first base runner of the game. Lafferty was left stranded as Jones struck out swinging to record the final out.
Patti Weber reached base in the top of the fourth on a dropped fly ball by McKinney, and was put into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Ashlee Crewe. With two outs, Weber was caught stealing third to end the Phoenix fourth.
UNC opened the bottom of the fourth with a double to left center off the bat of Christine Knauer. With two outs, McKinney scored Knauer on a single to centerfield that gave the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead. UNC extended its lead to 3-0 when Emily Troup belted a two-run homerun to centerfield. DelPizzo, who came on in relief of Helterbran, pitched out of a bases loaded jam, retiring the final batter to end the threat.
The Tar Heels made it a 7-0 game after a two-run homerun in both the fifth and sixth innings. Recording the round-trippers were Breanna Brown and Kelli Wheeler. UNC tacked on another run after Green, who reached on a single, stole home to seal the 8-0 win.
Elon returns to action tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. when it faces Princeton and then again at 3 p.m. when it takes on Georgetown in the Tar Heel Invitational.