The North Carolina softball team (10-7, 0-0 ACC) defeated Villanova 7-3 in head coach Donna J. Papa’s 1300th career win at UNC on Tuesday night.
What happened?
After a scoreless first inning, Villanova (7-9, 0-0 Big East) delivered the first strike with a solo homer over the right field fence. Yet, this didn’t rattle the Tar Heel defense as the inning ended quickly after a strikeout by senior pitcher Hannah George and a flyout.
In the bottom of the inning, UNC began to apply pressure on the bases. After getting a runner on first, redshirt junior Lexi Godwin smashed a single down the right field line to send sophomore outfielder Carsyn Snead into third base. The Tar Heels were not able to capitalize, however, and remained scoreless going into the third inning.
In the third, the Tar Heels took advantage of their opportunities. Junior third baseman Destiny Middleton came up big with a triple to center field, and center fielder Bri Stubbs eventually found her way to second base after advancing on a fielder’s choice. With two runners in scoring position, graduate shortstop Sara Jubas crushed a ball to left field to bring home Middleton and Stubbs and put the Tar Heels up 2-1.
UNC kept going in the fourth. Stubbs brought another run home on a triple to left field and through the glove of the outfielder. Sophomore outfielder Gaby Katz sent Stubbs home in the very next at-bat with a double to center field.
After stealing third, Stubbs was batted in for the fifth run after Jubas also hit a double to center field.
But, just as it seemed UNC was running away with the game, Villanova stole the momentum in the fifth, hitting a two-run home run to close the gap to 5-3.
The score held until the bottom of the sixth when Stubbs once again brought in a run to build the lead back. Brooks’ following bunt brought Stubbs in after she preoccupied the defenders in a failed effort to advance to second.
