After going 2-3 in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida to start the 2020 season, the NC State softball team returns home to Dail Softball Stadium this weekend to host Ohio State and Illinois as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Pack will host the Buckeyes on Friday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday against the Buckeyes at 12:30 p.m. and against the Fighting Illini at 5:30 p.m. The weekend will conclude with a game against the Illini on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Both Ohio State (3-1) and Illinois (4-0) are coming off appearances in the 2019 NCAA Softball Tournament, in which they were both knocked out in the regional round.
Illinois competed in the NFCA Leadoff Classic alongside NC State. The Illini won four of its five games, including victories over then-No. 21 Ole Miss and then-No. 23 Auburn. It has also made an excellent start pitching, as it ranks 27th out of 236 teams in the country in ERA at 1.25. Hitting has been average, as it ranks 141st in batting average at .248, while defense has been decent, as it ranks 60th in fielding percentage at .969.
Catcher Bella Loya is a player to keep an eye on for the Illini. Last season, she was named first team All-Big Ten as well as a third-team All-American by Softball America. She has already started off the season with a .500 batting average.
Ohio State opened its season in Columbia, South Carolina playing in the Carolina Classic. After losing their first game to then-No. 19 South Carolina, the Buckeyes won their next three contests, including a 10-inning walk-off victory over UNC-Greensboro. The team has gotten off to a great start hitting the ball, as it ranks 25th in the country in batting average at .344. Pitching has been solid, ranking 68th in ERA at 2.33, as well as defense, ranking 35th in fielding percentage at .978.
Notable players to watch for the Buckeyes are infielder Ashley Prange and catcher Claire Nicholson. Last season, Prange was named second-team All-Big Ten and was also named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, while Nicholson was selected to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. To start the season, Prange has already scored five runs, hit two home runs and stolen 14 bases.
Of the five teams the Pack played over the weekend, three were ranked in the top 25. One of the Pack’s two victories came against then-No. 21 Ole Miss. Through four games, the Pack has been fairly average hitting the ball, as it ranks 110th in the country in batting average at .272. Pitching and defense has been slightly below par, as the Pack ranks 153rd in ERA at 4.45 and 186th in fielding percentage at .935. Capturing a couple of quality wins this weekend over Big Ten teams would bolster the Pack’s resume and help in getting the team back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.
