Off to a 5-1 start under first-year head coach Megan Smith Lyon, the UNC softball team is exceeding expectations through its first week of the 2024 seasons.
The Tar Heels picked up two wins each –against North Carolina A&T and Winthrop University – in the season-opening Winthrop Tournament. UNC lost to a ranked Kentucky team on Thursday, Feb. 15, but not before coming back from a 6-run deficit to briefly take the lead, then turned around to beat reigning American Athletic Conference champion UCF in a tight, 2-1 victory the next day.
After downing UCF, North Carolina was going to face arguably its toughest stretch of the campaign – third-ranked Texas, sixth-ranked Washington and 20-ranked UCLA, the 12-time NCAA Champion.
Rain had other plans.
A major catalyst behind UNC’s hot start is the bats, as the Tar Heels are the ACC’s top hitting team.
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In second among teams is Florida State (.371), the 2018 NCAA Tournament champions and 2021/2023 runner-up.
Alex Coleman, the Marshall University transfer who played her high school ball, has compiled her batting average with a deadly 15-for-22 mark at the plate. She’s scored seven runs, doubled twice for the UNC lead, driven in four runs and walked twice.
Carsyn Snead, the senior outfielder from Cincinnati, Ohio, is 11-for-19. She’s scored five runs, driven in three more and walked once.
Coleman and Snead will try and keep the bats rolling on Wednesday, Feb. 21, as the Tar Heels welcome UNC-Greensboro to Anderson Field for a 4 p.m. first pitch.
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