A run in the third inning by the UNC softball team proved to be enough as Spartan pitcher Alicia Bazonski threw a no-hitter to defeat the Blue Hose, 1-0 in the first game of the day at the Hampton Inn & Suites Invitational being held in Wilmington, N.C. A four-run first inning proved to be enough as the UNC Wilmington Seahawks took the eventual 10-3 win in game two.
The Blue Hose, who drop to 12-10, open a seven-game home stand with a doubleheader against N.C. Central Wednesday, March 16, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.
Game 1: UNCG 1, PC 0
Solid pitching and defense on both sides resulted in back to back 1-2-3 innings for the Blue Hose and Spartans. Kylie Young opened the third with a walk, but was tagged on a fielder's choice the next at-bat. PC hit into a double-play the next play to end the frame and its first opportunity to score.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Kendall McKinney laced a shot up the middle to give the Spartans their first chance of the game. They took full advantage as Lindsay Thomas hit a double down the right field line to bring home McKinney and the game's first run.
With the Blue Hose still hitless through four, UNCG rattled off back to back singles in the bottom to put runners on first and second with just one out. After a ground out to second, Sydney Seigler recorded her first strikeout of the game to save more runs and end the inning.
Seigler retired the Spartans in the bottom of the fifth with two strikeouts and a ground out. PC got a walk from Jordan Ashley with one out in the sixth but a fielder's choice and strike out kept PC at bay.
In another inning of chances, Megan Anderson drew a walk with two outs in the top of the seventh but a ground out ended the threat and kept Alicia Bazonski with the no-hitter.
Seigler, picked up the loss (4-5), despite giving up just one run off four hits. Bazonski gave up three walks but no runs and no hits in the win (8-2). Four different Spartans collected a hit apiece with Thomas on top with one RBI.
Game 2: UNCW 10, PC 3
The Seahawks jumped on the scoreboard early with a single by Kelsey Bryan to open the frame, followed by a walk from Merritt Wilkinson and then a two-RBI double from Hannah Adamczyk. Adamczyk scored off an illegal pitch, with a single from Darian Roberts driving in Claudia Spinelli to make it 4-0 in favor of UNCW.
Madison Longanecker started the second with a single up the middle, but after reaching second on a sacrifice bunt, she made it no farther with the next batters popping up and striking out to end the inning.
After a 1-2-3 inning for both teams in the third, UNCW opened the bottom of the fourth with a hit by pitch for Erin Brown. After advancing to second off the sacrifice bunt, she was able to round third and go home two batters later off a Wilkinson RBI single, and UNCW increased the lead to 5-0.
A walk by Young and back to back singles from Kersten Legacki and Jonnie Petree loaded the bases for PC in the top of the fifth. Erin Ruff drew the second walk of the inning to bring in the first run, with Megan Anderson lacing a single down the right field line to bring in two more as PC cut the margin to 5-3.
The bottom of the fifth saw UNCW get a runner to third off a walk, stolen base, and single, with one out. Another hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Seahawks. Lauren Moore cleared the bases the next at-bat with a triple, and UNCW retook the five-run lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Seahawks got runners on second and third off a PC error and double. Lacey Fox tripled to left and brought home two more runs to make it 10-3.
Legacki opened the seventh with a single, but a strike out, a fly out and a foul out spoiled the potential last inning rally as PC lost 10-3.
Katie Brown (6-4) picked up the loss, giving up four runs off two hits. Legacki led the team on offense with two hits, with Anderson coming away with two RBI off one hit. The team finished with five hits and one error.
Peyton Jordan moved to 6-2 on the year after pitching 5.0 innings and surrendering three runs off four hits with five strikeouts. Spinelli, Wilkinson and Adamczyk finished with two hits apiece, with Adamczyk and Fox leading in RBI with two apiece. UNCW collected nine hits and had one error.
