The NC State softball team dominated UNC-Chapel Hill Saturday afternoon, evening up the series at 1-1 with a 10-1 win.
After averaging only two runs per game in its last seven games, the Wolfpack (22-20, 5-11 ACC) offense finally came to life, knocking around the Tar Heels (24-21, 12-5 ACC) for 17 hits and drawing two walks.
Senior shortstop Alyssa Compton got the scoring started for the Wolfpack in the first inning, knocking in two runs with an RBI single to left field.
The Wolfpack struck again in the top of the third inning when freshman third baseman Timberlyn Shurbutt and sophomore outfielder Angie Rizzi each drove in a run, with Shurbutt singling into left field and Rizzi legging out an infield single.
The Tar Heels answered in the bottom of the third, scoring a run of their own. For the second straight game, sophomore outfielder Brittany West stole home, this time cutting the Pack’s lead to 4-1.
NC State responded by scoring two more runs in the top of the fourth, bolstered by freshman catcher Lily Bishop’s fourth home run of the season, a no-out solo shot to center, and Compton’s RBI single.
Already up 6-1 on the Tar Heels, the Wolfpack added some more insurance runs in the top of the sixth, scoring four on the backs of three RBI singles to make the score 10-1.
Shurbutt knocked in two runs with her single to center and Rizzi and Bishop each knocked in a run with singles of their own.
West’s steal of home would be the last run the Tar Heels would score, as freshman pitcher Kama Woodall (8-7, 2.82 ERA) was dominant from start to finish, going the distance and allowing only one run, scattering seven hits across six innings and striking out three.
Compton and Rizzi led the Pack with three hits each, while Shurbutt, Bishop, sophomore center fielder Jade Caraway and junior first baseman Cheyenne Balzer all picked up two hits of their own.
NC State’s offense came through in the clutch all game long, scoring five runs with two outs. The Wolfpack likely could have put up an even larger number on the final score, as the Pack left 10 runners on the bases.
A win against the Tar Heels in the rubber match of the series will give the Wolfpack its first series win against its archrivals since 2014.
The Wolfpack will return to action Monday at 7 p.m. as it takes on the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.
