UNC Women's softball wins Carolina Classic tournament

The North Carolina softball team blew through its competition this weekend in the Carolina Classic, winning four games by a combined score of 33-3 en route to the title.

In the championship game on Sunday afternoon, the Tar Heels (6-3) triumphed 8-0 against Saint Joseph’s — the only team able to score against UNC’s stellar pitching during the weekend. The Hawks fell 6-3 on Friday.

Senior Danielle Spaulding (3-1) dominated the Hawks through six innings, with an 11-strikeout no-hitter — her second of the weekend.

The Tar Heels also benefitted from a three-run fourth inning that got started with a solo home run off the bat of junior Brittany Robinson.

Robinson had a strong championship game performance, hitting a homer to go along with two walks that put her on the All-Tournament Team.

“Especially if there’s no one on base, we really want to get the first couple of batters in the inning on because we know we have a whole lot of people who can get us around,” Robinson said.

Spaulding starred in her three tournament starts, most notably in her no-hitter against the Hawks in the championship game, notching two wins on her way to being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The two no-hitters in this weekend’s tournament gave Spaulding five in her decorated UNC career.

In total, Spaulding pitched 16 innings with 38 strikeouts while allowing only one hit.

“I just really focused on staying in control of my pitches and getting ahead in the count,” Spaulding said. “That was my main goal, and it really worked to my advantage this weekend.”

In Spaulding’s two starts prior to the championship game, the first in a 16-strikeout no-hitter against Delaware on Friday and the second, a four-inning, one-hit effort against UNC-Greensboro, the Tar Heels won by mercy rule after six innings of play.

She was solid at the plate as well, batting 6-for-15 and belting two homers with seven RBIs.

But it wasn’t all Spaulding all the time. Senior Amber Johnson threw a complete game against St. Joseph’s with 13 strikeouts.

The game against the Spartans was scoreless through five innings until the Tar Heels broke out for an eight-run sixth.

The sixth inning was important for the Tar Heels throughout the tournament, as they scored six runs in their 11-0 win against Delaware, two against St. Joseph’s and three in their second matchup with them in the championship game.

“It is still early in the season and everybody’s still establishing themselves,” UNC coach Donna Papa said. “We’re getting there.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.