In 2013, N.C. State began its surge toward an ACC Championship after being swept by Florida State. The Wolfpack hopes history will repeat itself this season and took steps towards that goal Wednesday.
State hosted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Dail Softball Stadium and took both games in a mid-week doubleheader after being swept in Tallahassee, Fla. over the weekend. The Wolfpack prevailed, 5-4, in the opener and closed out the evening with a 10-3 victory in the nightcap. With the wins, N.C. State improved to 17-9 overall and 8-3 in the ACC.
Junior right-hander Emily Weiman was the winning pitcher in each contest for the Pack. The reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year hurled 12 innings total, allowing seven runs (four runs earned) on 19 hits with nine strikeouts and five walks.
Last season, N.C. State head coach Shawn Rychcik pointed to his team’s showing against the Jackets as the turning point in the campaign. Prior to winning the series finale in Atlanta on March 30, 2013, N.C. State had lost 14 straight games to Georgia Tech over a five-year span.
“I am really glad we bounced back like that,” Rychcik said. “We had a tough time down at Florida State. We were playing well and now we can get another winning streak going.”
N.C. State struck immediately in the opening game. Junior shortstop Renada Davis scored in the first inning when freshman right fielder Molly Hutchinson reached on a fielder’s choice then advanced on a throwing error.
Georgia Tech immediately responded in the top of the second inning to tie the game, but the Pack answered back in the bottom of the frame. State took a 2-1 lead when senior catcher Kirsty Grant reached on a fielder’s choice. Grant then attempted to steal second and a throwing error brought home junior left fielder Sara Lippard, who had reached via a double to left-center field.
The game went back-and-forth and, entering the bottom of the sixth, was tied at four runs apiece. Senior second baseman Chelsea Tate opened the inning with a walk then moved to second base when freshman outfielder Hannah Yeager sacrificed. Senior first baseman Leah Jones singled, advancing Tate to third. Lippard then drove Tate home with the winning run on another fielder’s choice.
In the nightcap, N.C. State fell behind early, 2-0, after one inning. The Pack responded in the bottom of the second when Jones doubled home Tate to push across the first run of the game for State. The Wolfpack tied the game at two apiece later in the frame on single to left field by Grant.
“I felt pretty relaxed,” Jones said. “I was ready to play these games after a tough weekend. The only thing you can do really is come back, play and keep swinging. I was picking sides. I was swinging early in the count. I think we played great. Georgia Tech is a really good team.”
The Jackets scored a run in the top of the fourth to regain the lead. State answered back in the same inning with three runs to take a lead it would not relinquish, highlighted by doubles from Hutchinson and Grant. The Pack then added five runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach.
“We were playing at home, and we are protecting our field,” Rychcik said. “We came back from behind five times in the doubleheader. That is some good resiliency. We could have laid down.”
N.C. State will continue its home stand against conference foes Saturday when the Pack hosts Virginia Tech for a three-game set, with the opening game of the series set to begin at noon.
