Saturday, March 11
Chapel Hill
2:30 P.M.
North Carolina
9-14, 0
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Virginia Tech
18-5, 0
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VA TECH
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North Carolina
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Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Softball Splits Doubleheader With No. 11 Virginia Tech
March 11, 2023 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Carolina softball team split its Saturday double-header with No. 11 Virginia Tech, opening the day with a 4-0 victory in game one, before falling to the Hokies 3-1 in game two.
Virginia Tech (19-5, 5-1 ACC), who earned a 4-1 win on Friday, took the 2-1 series win over the Tar Heels (9-15, 1-2 ACC).
Lilli Backes was dominant in the circle in game one, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Kiersten Licea hit her fifth home run of the season in the win, a two-run shot over the left field wall, while Bri Stubbs and Carsyn Snead each had an RBI. Snead's RBI was the first of her career.
In game two, all three of the Hokies runs came in the first inning, when they scored three unearned runs off of two hits and a pair of Tar Heel errors. Alex Brown had the sole RBI in the game, while Carolina was outhit 7-4 in the loss with 12 strikeouts.
Notables:
The Tar Heels travel to Coastal Carolina on March 14 for a 6 p.m. midweek matchup in Conway, S.C.
Virginia Tech (19-5, 5-1 ACC), who earned a 4-1 win on Friday, took the 2-1 series win over the Tar Heels (9-15, 1-2 ACC).
Lilli Backes was dominant in the circle in game one, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Kiersten Licea hit her fifth home run of the season in the win, a two-run shot over the left field wall, while Bri Stubbs and Carsyn Snead each had an RBI. Snead's RBI was the first of her career.
In game two, all three of the Hokies runs came in the first inning, when they scored three unearned runs off of two hits and a pair of Tar Heel errors. Alex Brown had the sole RBI in the game, while Carolina was outhit 7-4 in the loss with 12 strikeouts.
Notables:
- The Hokies were shutout for the first time this season and the first time since facing Florida in the Super Regionals on May 29, 2022. Virginia Tech's three hits in the game matched their season-low
- Lilli Backes recorded her second career complete-game shutout. Her last was on Feb. 17 vs. Minnesota. This is the second win over a ranked team in her career after earning a victory in the circle over No. 4 Florida State on May 16, 2022
- This is Carolina's first victory over Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill since April 8, 2018, and first victory over the Hokies overall since April 21, 2019
- Destiny Middleton notched her 100th career hit in Carolina's victory
- Alex Brown hit a team-best .517 on the week, going 4-of-7 at the plate with an RBI. As a team, the Tar Heels outhit Virginia Tech .280-.207 in the series
- Carolina's four pitchers, Lilli Backes, Talia Hannappel, Kenna Raye Dark and Bailey McCachren allowed just four earned runs in 21 innings of work on the weekend
- Bri Stubbs and Kiersten Licea each have seven multi-hit games on the season, tied for a team-best
- Abby Settlemyre is on a six-game hitting streak and Licea has reached base in eight straight games
- Middleton has now reached base in 22 of Carolina's 24 games on the season
The Tar Heels travel to Coastal Carolina on March 14 for a 6 p.m. midweek matchup in Conway, S.C.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Emma Lemley (12-1)
L: Backes, Lilli (4-7)
Batting:
2B: Bre Peck 1
RBI: Emma Jackson 1 ; Bre Peck 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Emma Ritter 1 ; Emma Jackson 1 ; Addy Greene 1
Batting:
RBI: Brown, Alex 1
SH: Brown, Alex 1 ; Brooks, Skyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stubbs, Bri 1
SB: Stubbs, Bri 1 ; Settlemyre, Abby 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
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1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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OF/INF
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OF
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