"It was a pretty good job (by our team) today," Bartow coach Jimmy Bailey said. "We shut 'em down for the first couple of innings (and) had (the score) 11-2 at one time. ... Then, we just went through the motions to finish the game after that."
Taylor Weeks got the start in the circle for Bartow and held North Carolina scoreless in the top of the first inning.
The barrage began as Bartow put up four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first.
Bailey Roberts led off with a single, Courtney Bailey laid down a bunt single and, with no one covering second or third base, both Roberts and Bailey advanced into scoring position.
Kelsey Holloway drove in Roberts with an RBI groundout, and Bailey scored on an error off a grounder from the bat of Bethany Ballard. Allison Story singled before Weeks helped her own cause, driving in both Ballard and Story.
North Carolina was held scoreless in the top of the second inning.
In the bottom of the second, Bartow drove the nail in the coffin with a five-run outburst.
Lauren Howe reached base on an error, and Roberts singled. Breanna Mahrt drove in Howe with a base hit. Holloway was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Roberts scored on a wild pitch, Mahrt scored on an Allison Story groundout and Weeks came up and added to her monster day by hitting an RBI double, scoring Holloway and allowing her to score on the same play after a throwing error by the North Carolina shortstop.
After two innings, Bartow led 9-0.
North Carolina managed to push two runs across in the top of the third inning, but Bartow answered with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning -- all runs occurring with two outs in the inning.
Mahrt reached base on an error, Holloway singled and Ballard reached on an infield single to load the bases. Mahrt scored off another error, and Weeks got her last RBI of the day by drawing a bases-loaded walk, making the score 11-2 in Bartow's favor.
North Carolina scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning off relief pitcher Bailey.
Bartow was held scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings.
Bailey then held North Carolina scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.
Bartow pushed one more run across in the bottom of the sixth. Kaleigh Liscio walked and stole second base. After being bunted over to third, Liscio scored on an error off the bat of Roberts to round out the scoring.
Bartow finished the North Carolinians off in the top of the seventh to win 12-5 and clinch their spot in the semifinals.
Bartow scored 12 runs on nine hits. Roberts and Weeks each had two hits, and Weeks drove in four runs.
Weeks pitched three innings, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out five and walking five. Bailey pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out one and walking two.
Bartow will play Cape Coral, Fla., at 7 p.m. today to finish pool play.
Jimmy Bailey said the game will determine which team will be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the semifinals, with Bartow taking on the first- or second-seeded team on the other side of the bracket.
Bailey hopes his team can continue getting off to fast starts as it has been able to do thus far.
"They're real confident," he said of his players. "It doesn't matter whose pitching, so far, on the other side. ... We put pressure on the other team and cause 'em to make errors."
Bailey said as along as his team sticks to its motto, things should go fine.
"Our motto is do what we do, and we'll be fine," the coach said. "They're pretty focused; that's the great thing about (our players). You don't have to repeat yourself, they know what the big picture is."
-- Chike Nwakamma contributed to this article.