The NC State softball team won its second of a Fairfield Crabtree Invitational Friday doubleheader, riding a wave of hot bats to a 7-2 win over St. Joseph’s at Dail Softball Stadium.
For the second time today, the Wolfpack (8-4) hit multiple home runs as it continued its hot streak at the plate and senior right-hander Devin Wallace (7 IP, ER, 7 K) shut the Hawks (2-4) down, tossing a complete game.
“Just attacking, I think that’s the biggest thing,” said NC State coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. “We’re not necessarily looking for balls and strikes, it’s just pitches in each hitter’s home run zone. I thought we did a lot of that.”
Junior catcher Sam Sack (1 for 2, HR) stayed hot, smashing her third home run of the day and first of the game to put NC State on the board in the second inning. Junior infielder Carson Shaner (0 for 3) almost gave the Wolfpack back-to-back dingers, but her deep fly ball to center field was hauled in at the top of the wall.
“[Sack’s] been working on some things and really working hard to get those adjustments into the game against live pitching,” Patrick-Swift said. “It’s paying off, so it’s great. She’s solid every game behind the plate so I’m just happy her hard work offensively is coming around well.”
Junior left fielder Sam Russ (1 for 3, BB) led off the bottom of the third inning with a walk, and after she stole second base, senior center fielder Angie Rizzi (3 for 4, HR, 2 RBI) beat out a hard ground ball to third base. The throw to first was errant, and Russ came around to score as Rizzi advanced to second base. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and freshman infielder Sam Gress (2 for 4, 3 RBI) came through with a line-drive single just inches over the third baseman’s glove, scoring two and putting NC State up 4-0.
After mowing through the St. Joseph’s order the first time through the lineup, Wallace ran into some trouble in the fourth inning. The senior right-hander allowed two hits, committed an error and issued two free passes as the Hawks plated two runs and cut the Wolfpack’s lead in half.
NC State came back with another three-spot in the bottom half of the inning, sending eight batters to the plate. Rizzi mashed a home run for the second time in three games, going opposite field for a two-run bomb. A few batters later with runners on first and second, Gress ripped a single into center field, plating a run as the Wolfpack extended its lead to five.
“I knew off the bat [it was gone],” Rizzi said. “It just felt so good off the barrel … Our mindset is to just get in the box and take our swings and get after it. If we do that we can hit any ball out of the park. They were flying today.”
The Wolfpack’s win was its sixth in its last seven games, and its strong lineup is leading the way. NC State has scored at least seven runs in four of its last five games and the Pack is averaging over nine runs per game in its last three. With three more games this weekend, there’s plenty more opportunity for NC State’s bats to stay hot.
“One game at a time but our goal is to come out and get three more wins this weekend,” Patrick-Swift said. “Take care of business and defend our home field.”
NC State will be back in action tomorrow for another home doubleheader. The Wolfpack will face Indiana at 3 p.m. and Saint Joseph’s 30 minutes after the first game ends.
