In the second game of its Breast Cancer Awareness doubleheader, the NC State softball team fell to Boston College 12-2.
For the second game in a row, errors plagued the Wolfpack (20-18, 4-9 ACC), as its defense committed four errors, which led to 11 unearned runs for BC; Wolfpack pitchers allowed just one earned run in what was still a rocky performance from the Pack’s stable of arms.
Freshman starting pitcher Kama Woodall (6-6, 2.79 ERA) took the loss for the Wolfpack, allowing three runs (one earned) in 1.2 innings of work. Sophomore Devin Wallace (11-9, 2.52 ERA) entered in relief for the Pack and registered just four outs, conceding five runs (zero earned) in addition to four hits and three walks.
Junior Brittany Nimmo (1-1, 4.73 ERA) came in and threw an inning for the Pack, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and one walk before giving way to freshman Kama Woodall. Woodall finished the game, throwing one inning and allowing two unearned runs on two hits.
The Pack’s pitchers combined to allow 21 baserunners, 12 by way of hit six on the backs of walks and three by errors.
The Eagles (18-15, 7-3 ACC) got on the board first, scoring two unearned runs after a throwing error by freshman catcher Lily Bishop put runners in scoring position for the Eagles’ hot bats.
Sophomore center fielder Jade Caraway got the scoring going for the Wolfpack, dashing home to score on a suicide squeeze bunt by senior shortstop Alyssa Compton, cutting the Boston College lead in half.
Boston College would strike again in the second inning, taking advantage of consecutive two-out walks by Woodall and a wild pitch from Wallace to score a run and stretch its lead to 3-1.
The Wolfpack responded in the second inning with another run of its own when sophomore left fielder Angie Rizzie scored on a throwing error by Eagles catcher Jordan Chimento after reaching third base on a double down the right field line by junior first baseman Cheyenne Balzer.
The wheels fell off for the Wolfpack in the fourth inning, as a throwing error from Wallace kickstarted a seven-run inning for the Eagles.
With a runner on first and no outs, Wallace took a dribbler hit back to her and threw the ball away into center field, leading to an Eagles run. Wallace then walked the next batter and gave up back-to-back RBI singles that pushed the Eagles lead to 6-2.
After the back-to-back hits, Nimmo entered for Wallace, inheriting two baserunners and immediately walking a batter of her own. A sacrifice fly scored a run for BC, before three straight hits for the Eagles scored three more runs and made the score 10-2 in favor of BC.
The Eagles would plate two more runners in the top of the fifth, scoring on a passed ball by Bishop and a sacrifice fly from third baseman Emme Martinez, putting the game in mercy rule territory.
The Wolfpack wasn’t able to get anything going in the bottom of the fifth and fell victim to the mercy rule, ending the game two innings early and clinching a series loss.
With the loss, the Wolfpack falls to last place in the ACC Atlantic and drops its fifth game in a row.
The Wolfpack returns to action Sunday at 12 p.m. against Boston College in Dail Softball Stadium.
