The NC State softball team split a doubleheader on Sunday at Dail Softball Field, defeating the North Carolina A&T Aggies (2-14) by a score of 9-0 over five innings and then losing to the No. 24 James Madison Dukes (7-4) 13-5.
The Wolfpack (13-6) wasted no time securing the first win of the day as a home run by senior center fielder Angie Rizzi highlighted a three-run first inning for the Pack. The Pack continued to put up runs, with junior second baseman Carson Shaner going yard twice, helping extend the lead to 7-0.
This barrage of offense was complemented by five shutout innings on the part of freshman starting pitcher Sam Gress, who marked her first collegiate start with a win, five strikeouts and zero walks.
“I was just super happy to get the opportunity,” Grease said. “Any chance I get to pitch I’m just super excited about it. But going out there and starting, I was just super happy to be out there with the team on the field. It was pretty awesome.”
The Wolfpack win was punctuated in the fourth inning when NC State tacked on two more runs. A Rizzi sacrifice fly and another home run, this time hit by redshirt junior shortstop Randi Farricker, capped off a 9-0 victory.
The latter half of the doubleheader saw James Madison jump to an early lead. Sophomore starting pitcher Sydney Nester gave up a solo home run to the second batter, resulting in a 1-0 lead for the Dukes through one inning.
NC State responded by tying up the score in the bottom of the second with a solo home run by senior designated player Brigette Nordberg. The Dukes were quick to retake the lead, scoring seven unanswered runs through the middle of the fourth. This sustained offensive attack came despite senior pitcher Devin Wallace entering in relief of Nester to start the fourth inning.
The Wolfpack was not finished fighting and showed it in the bottom of the fourth. After Farricker drew a walk to start the frame, freshman first baseman Libby Whittaker, who was substituted into the game for senior Skylar Johnston, delivered a two-run home run. The Pack continued its rally, reducing JMU’s lead to 8-4.
The Dukes registered their fourth home run of the evening in top of the fifth, in which they further secured their lead at 12-4. NC State chipped away at JMU’s lead in the fifth. One run would score to make it 12-5, but NC State also left the bases loaded at the end of the frame.
Another call to the bullpen would be made to start the sixth, as Gress made her second pitching appearance of the day.
Despite the large deficit, NC State refused to surrender in the bottom of the sixth. After loading the bases with no outs, a 1-2-3 double play created a two-on, two-out situation with both runs in scoring position. Farricker promptly drew a walk to once again load the bases, but Whittaker struck out to end the sixth. The Pack left the bases loaded for the second consecutive time at-bat.
“You can’t leave 10 on base against a top-25 team and expect to win,” said NC State head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. “Defensively, we handed it to them. I don’t know what the score could’ve been, but it’s a lot different for hitters going up with a three- or two-run deficit as opposed to a seven- or eight-run deficit. We just left too many people on and we didn’t get big hits in opportunities and they did.”
James Madison’s victory was solidified in the seventh when, with a runner on first and two outs, senior right fielder Tatyana Forbes dropped a fly ball slicing down the right field line. As the JMU baserunners reached second and third, Forbes fired an errant throw into the infield, allowing the runners to advance to third and home, respectively. This fielding flub brought the Pack’s error tally to eight between the two games.
“That’s what I told them in the huddle,” Patrick-Swift said. “Eight errors, that’s embarrassing. That can’t happen on your home field and it can’t happen ever. There’s no excuses. We’ve been playing catch since we were seven years old. Routine balls have got to be caught and that didn’t happen today.
The Wolfpack’s failure to score in the bottom of the seventh signified the conclusion of the scoring action for the game, resulting in a final score of James Madison 13, NC State 5.
The Wolfpack will finish the weekend tomorrow with another matchup with North Carolina A&T. First pitch at Dail Softball Field will be at 3 p.m.
