NC State softball dropped all three games of its weekend series against No. 3 Florida State from May 6-8. From weather playing spoiler to many of this weekend’s outdoor events, to the Seminoles just having too much offensive power for the Pack to counteract, a win in Raleigh wasn’t in the cards for the red-and-white this weekend.
NC State (33-22, 7-17 ACC) came into the weekend as a long shot to make a dent in the powerhouse that has been Florida State (49-5, 24-4 ACC) softball this year, but when you’re swinging for the fences, anything can happen.
Friday night’s matchup was the first of the series for NC State, which saw the two teams make it to six innings before inclement weather forced the remainder of the game to be played Saturday afternoon. The Pack would lose the series’ first match 3-1, a redeemable final score fueled by graduate lefty Maddie McPherson’s seven-inning pitching performance.
Even though the game was split between two different days, McPherson totaled 108 pitches thrown. In her time in the circle, the lefty faced 30 batters, striking out four and walking one while letting up eight hits and three earned runs.
Of the Pack’s four hits in game one, the only one to have an effect on the scoreboard was fifth-year center fielder Brittany Jackson’s solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. Despite the sudden jolt of offensive prowess from the Pack late, a comeback was nowhere to be found as NC State dropped game one.
Game two also fell victim to the unfortunate weather in the Raleigh area over the weekend, but not before Florida State could kick things off with back-to-back homers. When things resumed on Sunday afternoon, Jackson wasted no time in gaining one back on the Seminoles with a solo shot of her own.
The Wolfpack would go on to send an additional two homers over the wall courtesy of freshman designated hitter Alaina Smith’s solo shot and fifth-year catcher Sam Sack’s two-run bomb over the center wall. Unfortunately, the three homers and finding runs by other means wouldn’t be enough to propel the Pack over a Seminoles unit that was firing on all cylinders from start to finish, leading to a 10-6 Florida State victory.
Redshirt sophomore righty Aisha Weixlmann got the nod for the game two start, pitching the game’s first 3.2 innings across the two days. The Florida State bats were simply burning too hot for Weixlmann to keep up, letting up six earned runs on seven hits, walking three batters and striking out another three. The loss brings the redshirt sophomore’s season record to 13-7.
Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Sam Gress came in for Weixlmann, finishing out the remaining 3.1 innings of softball in game two. In her time occupying the circle, Gress let up four runs on five hits, walking two batters and striking out none.
The series’ final game was much of the same for NC State, which was simply outclassed by the third-best team in the nation all weekend. An 8-4 victory for the Seminoles would finish out the Pack’s regular season, leaving plenty left to be desired gearing up for the ACC tournament.
An FSU two-run homer opened the scoring yet again in game three, but NC State’s fifth-year third baseman Logan Morris responded right back, advancing to third on an error and sending Jackson home for an unearned run. That would be the last time the Pack could keep it within a single run in the game, however, with the Seminoles scoring four unanswered to break away.
An exciting sixth-inning performance offered a sliver of hope for an NC State comeback, with the Pack getting off three solo home runs courtesy of Smith, graduate right fielder Carson Shaner and sophomore utility player Gracie Roberts. The outburst of dingers proved to be too little, too late, with Florida State sealing the win with its run in the seventh.
After tossing over 100 pitches in game one, McPherson was called on to start yet again in game three, throwing five innings and 90 pitches. In her time in the circle in the series’ final game, she let up seven runs on 10 hits, walking three batters and earning two strikeouts. Gress came in as relief once again, finishing the final two innings and letting up one run on three hits.
With the regular season finished, NC State softball’s attention will now be dead set on the ACC tournament. The Pack’s first challenge in the conference championship comes against Georgia Tech on Wednesday, May 11 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The opening pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised live on ACC Network.
