The NC State softball team lost its seventh consecutive game and second consecutive ACC series on Sunday, March 20 as the Virginia Cavaliers completed their sweep with an 8-1 victory at Dail Softball Stadium.
The Wolfpack (19-10, 2-7 ACC) got roughed up from the start as the Cavaliers (18-11, 5-1 ACC) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. A five-run third boosted the Cavs to a 7-0 lead that the Pack could barely put a dent in.
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Sam Gress (0.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 H) got the start in the circle but didn’t make it out of the first inning. A leadoff groundout to third was the first and last out Gress would force on the day, as Virginia rattled off three hits including a two-run shot by Tori Gilbert to open the scoring.
Graduate student left-handed pitcher Maddie McPherson (2.2 IP, 5 ER, 3 H, 4 BB) managed to quell the Cavs from out of the bullpen and get out of the inning with minimal damage, but the Cavalier bats continued to wreak havoc in the following innings. Virginia left the bases loaded in the second but made up for the missed opportunity by putting up five runs on three hits and two walks in the third.
Although McPherson eventually managed to stop the bleeding there as well, redshirt sophomore righty Aisha Weixlmann (4.0 IP, ER, 2 H) took the circle to start the fourth and stayed there for the rest of the game. That fourth inning saw the only sliver of run support that the Wolfpack arms got all afternoon, a solo shot to left by graduate student shortstop Randi Farricker (1-3, RBI, HR, 2 K), but by that point the game was already well out of hand.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, kept the Wolfpack bats in check for the whole game. A big piece of their success in the circle came courtesy of right-hander Aly Rayle, who tossed five innings of one-run ball, giving up Farricker’s bomb as her only allowed hit, while notching seven strikeouts. Simply put, the Pack bats couldn’t keep up with the Cavaliers while Rayle was on the mound.
The Wolfpack will stay at home for a midweek game against the Campbell Camels on Tuesday, March 22. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
