The NC State softball team continues its young season this Friday when it will host the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats to help kick off the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Wolfpack is 3-2 in its first five games, with quality wins coming over Georgetown and Memphis. It is a young team with a lot of question marks, but the talent is there to make a run in the ACC. The Pack will play two games against both Ohio State and Northwestern over the weekend.
“Looking at today’s game, I think we made a good step,” head coach Shawn Rychcik told NC State Athletics following the Pack’s win over Memphis. “We started five freshmen, three sophomores, a junior and a senior today. We’re going to have some moments, but I’m glad and we progressed.”
Sophomore pitcher Devin Wallace has gone 2-1 so far, including the win over Memphis. She has posted a respectable 3.13 ERA, and is complemented nicely by the freshman alternate starter Kama Woodall (1-1, 4.31 ERA).
Freshman outfielder Sam Russ has been the hot hitter for the Wolfpack, posting an impressive .667 batting average with a team-high six runs, including a massive three-run performance in a win over LIU-Brooklyn.
The Buckeyes have had an even hotter start to the season as they have gone 5-0 in their first five games which were hosted by Florida Atlantic University in the First Pitch Classic.
Ohio State ended its run in the invitational in dramatic fashion against Boston University. In the bottom of the sixth inning, senior pitcher Shelby McCombs hit a two-out solo home run to tie the game at 2-2. McCombs then came up big on defense in the eighth inning, forcing two strikeouts and a groundout. Junior infielder Lilli Piper hit a walk-off single later in the inning.
The clutch hitting that the Buckeyes have already shown this season will certainly be a challenge for the young Wolfpack as it looks to improve its record and show promise in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Northwestern is 4-1, with its only loss coming against No. 7 Arizona. Raleigh will also play host to Louisville this weekend, which also has two games against both Northwestern and Ohio State.
