Tar Heels fall to Georgia in NCAA softball regionals to end the season

The North Carolina softball team came into its two games Saturday knowing the situation at hand: Win or go home.

UNC was scheduled to face off against Central Connecticut State at 2:30 p.m., but a 14-inning nail-biter between Georgia and Western Kentucky pushed the Tar Heels’ first game of the day back roughly two hours. 

The Tar Heels started off with a decisive 8-0 victory over Central Connecticut State but saw their season come to an end later that day at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs 6-5.

In their first game of the afternoon, North Carolina took advantage of three defensive miscues by the Blue Devils, sending eight batters to the plate in a three-run first inning.

The three runs turned out to be plenty for freshman Kaylee Carlson, who tossed a run-rule shortened five-inning complete game for the Tar Heels. 

Senior Jenna Kelly had a huge game at the plate for the Tar Heels, going 3-3 with a home run and four RBI. Kelly also scored twice for North Carolina, as did juniors Kristen Brown and Aquilla Mateen. 

The Tar Heels benefitted from putting the ball in play and keeping consistent pressure on Blue Devil freshman right-hander, Laura Messina.

North Carolina was given thirty minutes after the final out of their first game to prepare for a Georgia team ranked No. 14 in the nation. 

Carlson again took the mound for the Tar Heels in what turned out to be the team's season finale. 

Georgia pushed across runs in the first and second innings, but the Tar Heels never felt like the game was over. 

“I always felt like we were going to win the game,” Coach Donna Papa said. 

North Carolina tallied three runs in the top of the fourth inning and another in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.

The highlight of the Tar Heel scoring was a no doubt home run by Brown, displaying how she earned the nickname “Downtown Kristen Brown.” Brown was a contributor all season for the team, and today’s home run marked her 24th of the year. 

“Whenever the Tar Heels step on the field, we’re gonna play balls to the wall,” Brown said regarding the relentless style of the North Carolina team.

The Bulldogs rallied back in the bottom half of the fifth, using timely hitting and walks to take a 5-4 lead heading into the sixth inning. 

Things looked bleak for the Tar Heel squad with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, still down by one run.

Kelly stepped up to the plate as the Tar Heels’ last hope, and she rose to the occasion, blasting a solo home run to keep the North Carolina season alive. 

On the afternoon, Kelly was a perfect 5-5, doing everything she could to extend her final season as a Tar Heel. 

But disappointingly for North Carolina, the tie game did not last long, as the bottom half of the inning saw Georgia junior Alex Hugo due to bat. 

Carlson got in two quick strikes before Hugo unloaded on a pitch, hitting a walk-off home run and promptly ending the Tar Heels' season. 

The Tar Heels had pitched around Hugo earlier in the game. Papa said she wouldn't have changed her strategy in the seventh. 

“Nope, can’t second guess myself,” she said.

Coach Papa’s unwavering confidence in her players’ abilities was seen throughout the season, always trusting in her players to be willing to do whatever was needed to get a win.

“I was so proud of the whole team and how we competed,” Papa said after the game.

North Carolina finished the year with a 37-16 record.