North Carolina, which entered the game ranked No. 25 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball top-25 and first team out in the NU-recognized USA Today/NFCA poll, remains undefeated on the season with its win, improving to 6-0. Northwestern concludes the Mardi Gras Invitational with a 3-5 overall mark after playing just three games. The Wildcats were scheduled to face UTEP and the Tarheels Saturday, but both of those games were canceled and a single contest with UNC was re-slated for Sunday morning. NU's original Sunday morning contest against Northwestern State also then was canceled.
North Carolina took the game's first lead when the second batter lofted a fly ball that rode the dead-center field jet stream out of the park, then the next batter hit a solo shot for an early 3-0 Tarheel lead. After a hit batter, Northwestern got back on track in a big way with a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play to help end the top of the first.
Northwestern put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the first when Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) drew a full count walk before Marisa Bast (Orange, Calif./Villa Park) unleashed a liner to the wall in center for a double. With runners now at second and third, Amy Letourneau (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) hit a little liner into center that the wind held up long enough to reach the fielder to end the inning.
After a scoreless second in which NU again put two runners on via a two-out rally, centerfielder Kristin Scharkey (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza) gave it up for the 'Cats to get the second out in the top of the third. UNC again put a fly ball up into the breeze, but this time Scharkey tracked it down on the run and caught it before colliding into the warning track-less wall with an audible thud.
After her selfless defensive play, Scharkey led off the bottom of the third with a single to the left side, moving to second when the throw on the play sailed super wide of first. She was stranded there, however, to send the game to the fourth with the Tarheels still up 3-0.
North Carolina added two to its lead with a two-out triple and a two-home run in the fourth. A double and intentional walk followed, then Meghan Lamberth (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) entered the circle in relief of Letourneau, using just two pitches to end the inning.
Junior Emily Allard (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley) led off the fifth with a bunt single for Northwestern, then stole second base. Scharkey then hit a ball deep in the hole at short that the fielder dove to glove, doing well to hold Allard at second on the infield single. Those knocks were all the NU offense could string together in the inning, again missing out on a scoring opportunity.
Lamberth did a fantastic job holding North Carolina off the board in her relief appearance, but Northwestern was unable to muster the offensive comeback, leading to the 5-0 final.
Letourneau (3-3) took the loss, throwing 3.2 innings in her start and allowing five runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Lamberth pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, surrendering three walks with three strikeouts.
Offensively, both Scharkey and Paige Tonz (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) collected a pair of hits to lead Northwestern at the plate.
Northwestern returns to action February 24-26 at the Cathedral City Classic in Cathedral City, Calif.
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