CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – After three-straight wins in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Fighting Illini softball team was finally tripped up as Illinois suffered a 9-2 setback to host North Carolina on Sunday (Feb. 21) at the Anderson Softball Stadium.
"We started the weekend out strong but we did not finish that way today," said head coach Tyra Perry. "We have to continue to work on our overall game and challenge our expectations for ourselves as a team. Games are won by timely hitting, solid defense and pitching. We fell short in all of those areas today."
The Illini (5-4) broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning as senior Remeny Perez singled to centerfield to score sophomore Annie Fleming from second for a 1-0 edge.
UNC (4-6) answered quickly in the top half of the fifth with five runs on seven hits, including by a leadoff Tracy Chandless solo home run to centerfield and a two-run shot to left field from Kristen Brown.
Brown then added to the Tar Heel lead in the six with her second homer of the game, a three-run drive to left field, to push the Illini deficit to 8-1.
After a triple in the fourth, senior Allie Bauch notched her second hit of the game with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, before being plated by a Fleming double down the left field line to cut the UNC lead to 8-2.
An RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh for the Tar Heels then sealed the 9-2 win for the hosts.
The Illini totaled seven hits and an error, while UNC notched 12 hits and an error. Bauch and Perez each went 2-for-3 for UI, with Bauch scoring a run and Perez adding an RBI. Fleming also contributed a hit, run and an RBI in the setback.
Junior Breanna Wonderly (2-2) took the loss after giving up four runs on four hits in four and one-thirds innings. Sophomore Kate Giddens and freshman Taylor Edwards each pitched an inning and a third of relief as Edwards made her first collegiate appearance in the outing.
Kendra Lynch (3-3) earned the win for the Tar Heels and allowed just two runs on seven hits and striking out four in a complete game.
The Illini return to action next weekend at the Texas Invitational, hosted by the University of Texas on Feb. 26-28 in Austin, Texas.
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