UNC softball sweeps Virginia

She’s one of the ACC’s best pitchers, but life on the mound isn’t always carefree for North Carolina’s Lori Spingola.

Runners on base. A tight strike zone. Two-out hits. They all add to a pitcher’s stress.

But Spingola has a light-hearted remedy for when things go awry — comic relief from her catcher, sophomore Amber Parrish.

“Amber just loosens me up when I’m out there,” Spingola said Sunday after the UNC softball team (31-13, 9-3 ACC) completed a three-game sweep of Virginia. “She’ll come out to the mound, and she’ll help me out. She’ll say a few words to make me laugh because she’s pretty funny.”

Opposing hitters have found the Spingola-Parrish tandem far from amusing.

Spingola (21-10) stymied the Cavaliers through three games Saturday and Sunday. She threw a complete game in the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader for a 5-1 win.

In the second game, she relieved starter Ashley Bone, and pitched three scoreless innings to lock down a 2-1 win.

The Cavaliers (16-19, 3-9) were overmatched once again Sunday in another 2-1 UNC win, which featured five strikeouts, a complete game and another dominant collaboration from Spingola and Parrish.

“I think they’ve worked very well together, and Lori’s very comfortable with Amber behind the plate,” coach Donna Papa said. “Amber’s comfortable catching Lori and does a really nice job.”

Their on-field synergy sprouted over the summer. Parrish was told to prepare as Spingola’s regular catcher for the 2013 season and caught summer games for Spingola. A feel and rhythm slowly developed.

Parrish said her connection with Spingola began to stretch beyond the diamond.

“We’ve really got that relationship now,” Parrish said. “Personally, we connect.”

Parrish has also given Spingola the luxury of run support. Parrish ripped a first-inning, two-run double to left field for the Tar Heels’ only two runs of Sunday’s game. She hit just .250 her freshman year but has seen her average surge to .343 this year.

But Parrish’s main task remains making sure her pitcher doesn’t get too flustered.

“She’s pretty even-keeled, and I think as a catcher, you need to be that way,” Papa said. “I don’t think having a catcher that is tight, stressed, whatever, is helpful.

“She makes girls laugh. I think she has a lot of the respect of the girls.”

That includes Spingola, who said she’s easily disarmed by Parrish’s punch lines and calming influence.

“I’m pretty hard on myself. I get pretty serious,” Spingola said. “Sometimes she helps me step back from beating myself up on the mound.”

The Cavaliers would have preferred facing a frustrated Spingola this weekend. They didn’t — and they had just three runs in three games because of it.

Once again, Parrish had given UNC’s ace the lift she needed.

“She’s a great, great person — a great leader out there on the field,” Spingola said.

Contact the desk editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.