UNC softball claims series win over Notre Dame on late sacrifice fly

Kristen Brown is no stranger to coming through in the clutch. She just typically does it with the long ball. 

But in the sixth inning on Monday evening at Anderson Softball Stadium, North Carolina's all-time home run leader’s contribution came in the form of a go-ahead sacrifice fly, giving UNC a 7-6 victory over No. 18 Notre Dame and a 2-1 series win. 

The Tar Heels (26-22, 10-11 ACC) threatened early but failed to capitalize when Destiny DeBerry and Erin Satterfield were called out at home in the game’s first and second innings, respectively.

In the field, North Carolina starting pitcher Kendra Lynch worked quickly through the game’s first two frames before the deadlock was broken in the third. 

In the top of the third inning, the Fighting Irish’s first two hitters reached base. Ali Wester hit an RBI single with two outs, and Melissa Rochford hit an infield single off Lynch’s leg to score the second run. 

UNC finally broke through in the bottom of the inning, as Brown doubled to left field with two outs and was driven home in the next at-bat on a single by Lynch. Two batters later, Berlynne Delamora’s three-run home run to dead center field gave the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead. 

In the fourth inning, the Tar Heels kept rolling as a pair of infield singles by Aquilla Mateen and DeBerry led to a pair of runs thanks to RBIs from Taylor Wike and Brown, doubling UNC’s lead to 6-2. 

The lead did not last long, though. Notre Dame (35-8, 10-5 ACC) loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning, and Micaela Arizmendi drove Lynch’s 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center field with a grand slam — her third home run of the series — to tie the game at 6. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tar Heels finally broke the tie. With runners on second and third base, Brown’s sacrifice fly to right field drove home Mateen to give UNC a 7-6 lead with an inning to play. 

Notre Dame put runners on first and third base in the top of the seventh inning with one out, but Wike threw out Casey Africano at the plate before Lynch forced Wester to fly out, ending the game in a 7-6 Tar Heel victory. 

Quotable

“Since there was less than two outs, I was looking for a sacrifice fly — something deep in the air. We got speed on third base, so anything that’s partially deep will work. (Mateen) did her job and I did my job.” — Brown on the game-winning sacrifice fly that drove home Mateen. 

Notable

With the series win, North Carolina has won three of its past four games against ranked opponents. UNC won at then-No. 10 Georgia earlier in April and took two out of three games against No. 18 Notre Dame. On the season, the Tar Heels are 3-5 against ranked teams.

Three numbers that matter

24: The two teams combined for 24 hits in the game, as both teams finished with 12 hits apiece.

3: UNC made outs on the basepaths three times in the first three innings. DeBerry and Satterfield both were thrown out at home, and DeBerry also was called out for leaving first base early while attempting to steal second. 

10: With her sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Brown set the North Carolina record for career sacrifice flies with 10. The senior set the program record for walks on Sunday, as well. 

What’s next?

UNC plays Campbell at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Anderson Softball Stadium. 

sports@dailytarheel.com