CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sophomore Takia Nichols hit her first home run of the season to provide the visiting North Carolina Central University softball team with an initial lead on host University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but the Tar Heels offense that has the top ranked batting average in the nation scored in each of the first four innings to pull away to the 21-1 win on Tuesday evening.
 
North Carolina (12-2) is off to its best start in 15 seasons and the Tar Heels kept that momentum with 16 hits and six walks against the Eagles. UNC entered the day leading all DI softball programs with a .435 team batting average and the Tar Heels will increase that average after batting .552 on the day.
 
Nichols, who hit eight home runs as a rookie last year, launched her first long ball of this season over the left-field fence with two outs in the top of the first inning. Her solo shot would prove to be NCCU's lone hit on the day.
 
Twelve different Tar Heels scored in the game.
 
Graduate student Lexi Godwin had the biggest impact on the game with four hits and 10 RBI. Her big performance started with a three-run double in the first. Godwin then launched a pair of home runs in a 12-run fourth inning. She hit a grand slam and a three-run homer to drive in seven of those runs in that big frame.
 
Junior pitcher Britton Rogers improved to 5-0 on the season with her one-hit, complete-game shutout in which she racked up eight strikeouts.
 
NC Central (4-12) will next play a doubleheader at Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
 
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.