Nicholas Faulkner
Freshman catcher Cheyenne Balzer catches a ball that Elon missed. Balzer had four at bats with one hit and one run in the 4-2 loss to the Eagles on April 6th at Dail Softball Stadium.
The NC State softball team will take a break from conference action this weekend when it takes on UNC-Greensboro in a three-game, two-day series at Dail Softball Stadium.
The Wolfpack (22-26, 5-15 ACC) enters the weekend in the midst of a month-long struggle. Since an impressive showing in the Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge, the Pack has won just four of its last 16 games and sits in last place in the ACC Atlantic.
Offense has been a struggle for the Wolfpack, as the team has scored just five runs in its last five games, which does not bode well for the Pack this weekend.
The Spartans (38-9, 11-2 SoCon) boast one of the premier pitching staffs in the country. Led by aces Stephanie Bryden (14-1, 1.27 ERA) and Alicia Bazonski (16-4, 1.47 ERA), UNC-G’s pitchers have held opposing hitters to a meager .201 batting average.
Hitters have struggled all season to even make contact against Bryden and Bazonski, who have combined for 243 strikeouts in their 248.2 innings pitched.
The Wolfpack is likely to face a combination of Bryden and Bazonski in all three games, so if the Pack offense wants to get out of its slump, it’s going to have to manufacture some runs.
If pitching is strength No. 1 for the Spartans, hitting is a close 1B. UNC-G hits nearly .280 as a team and has five players that boast both a batting average above .300 and three or more home runs.
The Spartans are led on offense by first-team All-Conference first baseman Marisa Sholtes. Sholtes leads the Spartans with a .358 batting average, .480 on-base percentage, 38 RBIs and 11 home runs.
UNC-G has an abundance of power hitters on its roster; seven players have at least three home runs, and the Spartans have cranked 42 on the year as a team.
Wolfpack starting pitchers, sophomore Devin Wallace (11-13, 2.78 ERA) and freshman Kama Woodall (8-9, 3.15 ERA), will have their hands full keeping the ball in the ballpark. Wallace and Woodall have each allowed eight home runs and will have a tall task limiting the bats of the Spartans.
The Pack’s offense is led by junior first baseman Cheyenne Balzer and freshman second baseman Chandley Garner. Balzer has a .298 batting average and is second on the team with 23 RBIs. Garner has been the team’s premier power hitter, crushing eight home runs to the tune of a .455 slugging percentage.
If the Pack is going to keep up with the potent UNC-G offense, it is going to need big contributions from senior shortstop Alyssa Compton and sophomore center fielder Jade Caraway.
Compton has been on a hot streak recently, raising her batting average to .306. Caraway, however, has been mired in a month-long slump that has seen her batting average fall below .270. The 2017 second-team All-ACC stud is one of the most talented players in the conference, and if she can get going from the leadoff spot, the entire offense gains a much-needed boost.
The Wolfpack kicks off its weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. at Dail Softball Stadium.