Box Score

LAFAYETTE – The Northwestern State softball team fell to No. 25 North Carolina 1-0 Sunday morning when a Tar Heel runner stole home plate on a non-traditional play in the fifth inning at the ULL Mardi Gras Invitational.

 

UNC's Kelsey Green reached base in the fifth on a walk to start the inning. She advanced to third after a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Tar Heel (7-0) leadoff hitter Kelli Wheeler walked and immediately broke for second. After NSU (2-5) had Wheeler caught in a run-down, Green broke for home and beat the throw to steal the only run of the game.

 

Kylie Roos (1-3) went the distance for the Lady Demons on the mound, allowing just two hits but took the loss. Sara Buchholz (2-0) earned the win for UNC, throwing a two-hit complete game shutout.

 

Brianna Rodriguez and Tara McKenney each tallied hits for the Lady Demons. Rodriguez knocked a single up the middle in the second, while McKenney sprinted for an infield single in the fifth.

 

The Lady Demons threatened in the top of the sixth with runners on first and second when Brittany Virgoe walked and Kylie Roos reached on an error with one out. Though, Buchholz was able to get out of it after getting the next two hitters to flyout and strikeout.

 

Virgoe's walk extended her on-base streak to all seven games this season.

 

Up next, NSU will take on No. 20 UL-Lafayette at 5:45 p.m. in the final game of the ULL Mardi Gras Invitational.