After picking up two losses and two wins on the road competing in the Georgia Classic, the North Carolina softball team (9-7) suffered a loss on their home field against the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines (10-5).
What happened?
To start the game, first-year pitcher Lilli Backes was first on the mound and allowed only one single by Michigan’s graduate outfielder Kristina Burkhardt, who graduated from UNC last year, before finishing the top of the first inning.
Unfortunately, some shaky catching and a total of two errors by the Tar Heels allowed a total of four runs by the Wolverines in the top of the second inning, which gave them the momentum they needed.
Throughout the game, Michigan consistently grounded into the outfield, but UNC was not quick enough to get the ball into their hands, which cost them defensively as time went on. This accounted for much of the Wolverine scoring, excluding their two runs hit out of the park.
Four scoreless innings for North Carolina made for a very underwhelming start to the game offensively, but as the fifth inning began, Michigan was still held to four runs thanks to strong pitching by Backes and the quick reflexes of senior catcher Taylor Greene.
In the fifth inning, Michigan homered twice to center field and ran in to score after hitting a double, growing the lead to 8-0.
After the Wolverines scoring rampage, UNC’s first-year catcher Carlie Myrtle checked in to stop Michigan’s offense and finish the top of the fifth inning. When competing in the Georgia Classic this past weekend, Myrtle dominated the mound by contributing to the team limiting the opponent to two hits in North Carolina's shutout against Bryant University.
With a total of five scoreless innings and a total of eight runs by the Wolverines, the game ended at Anderson Stadium.
