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HARRISONBURG, Va. – North Carolina shortstop Kristen Brown broke the ACC home run record with a walk-off two-run home run in the seventh inning, as the Tar Heels rallied past Longwood 6-4 to open the NCAA Harrisonburg Regional Friday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.

Brown led all players with a game-high three RBI and capped off a Tar Heel comeback from a four-run deficit over the final three innings to keep the Lancers from picking up their second NCAA Tournament win in program history. Brown was one of three North Carolina players with multiple hits, as the First-Team All-ACC selection went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored. 

"That was a good, competitive game and I credit North Carolina for coming up with several timely hits to comeback and tie it," said head coach Kathy Riley. "I thought our defense was solid today for the most part, but Carolina was just able to find the holes."

With her two-run home run, Brown breaks former NC State star Renada Davis' ACC home run record with her 66th career round tripper. Brown, a first-team All-ACC selection, ranks among the top-15 in the NCAA in home runs this season.

With their loss, the Lancers (38-19) face Princeton Saturday at 4:30 p.m., in an elimination game with the winner of the contest moving on to face the loser of North Carolina and James Madison at 7 p.m., for a spot in the regional championship game.  

The Lancers were led at the plate by Kaylynn Batten, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. In addition, Kelsey Sweeney extended her hitting streak to eight straight games with an RBI single in the second inning to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead. 

Kendra Lynch (28-17) picked up the win for the Tar Heels allowing four runs, none earned, to go along with four hits. In addition, Lynch added six strikeouts and walked one batter in seven innings of work in the circle.

Sydney Gay (18-7) took the loss, allowing six earned runs and nine hits in her 6.1 innings pitched to open up the tournament. The six runs by UNC marked the first given up by the freshman right-hander in her last six appearances in the circle after not giving up a run in five appearances in the Big South Tournament.

"I felt pretty good out there," Gay said of making her first career NCAA Tournament start. "I knew my teammates had my back, so I just went out and focused on hitting my spots."

Longwood took the initial 1-0 lead after Sweeney singled through the left side to bring home Batten. Batten reached on a dropped popup in the middle of the Tar Heel infield to lead off the inning, before swiping second and advancing to third on a wild pitch to set up Sweeney's RBI single.

The Lancers put up a three-spot on the scoreboard an inning later, courtesy of a Batten two-run bomb to left center. The home run marked her second of the season and first since Longwood's home opener against Hartford on Feb. 26. In addition, it also extended Batten's hitting streak to nine straight games, dating back to the final regular season series against Coastal Carolina. Kelly came around from second to score after Adams reached on an error, prior to Batten going deep with her second home run of the season.

UNC (32-23) evened the score with a four run fifth inning, sending all nine batters to the plate and scoring four runs on four hits. Prior to the inning, Gay had retired 10 straight Tar Heel batters before Tracy Chandless worked a leadoff walk. North Carolina tied the game on a single to right field that brought home the tying run in Taylor Wike.

"I thought Sydney's control was sharp for the most part today," Riley said. "North Carolina didn't hit too many balls hard, but they did a good job of finding holes to get people on and advancing their runners."

A long single off the wall in right field from Taylor Wike with one away in the seventh inning for the Tar Heels brought Brown to the plate, before she sent her 66th career blast to left center to win the game for North Carolina.   

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