During NC State softball’s seven-game winning streak, it averaged nearly eight runs per game while giving up just under two runs per game. On the first day of the Raleigh Times tournament, the offense and pitching took a step back as the Wolfpack lost both games of its doubleheader.

In the first game, the Wolfpack (12-7) gave up five runs in the first two innings of a 5-4 loss to UNC-Wilmington (14-3) and in the second game against Michigan (10-6), the Pack hit just 1-9 with runners in scoring position in a 5-3 loss.

5-4 loss to UNCW

Entering the game against the Seahawks, junior right-handed pitcher Rylee Wyman had a 1.27 ERA, but the Seahawks weren’t deterred and got after Wyman early. Wyman walked the first batter of the game but got her out on a fielder’s choice that still put a runner on first. The next at-bat, UNCW’s Maggie Pertree blasted a two-run home run to go up 2-0. Right after the home run, Wyman gave up a single and her day was done. Wyman lasted .1 innings, giving up two hits and two runs while her ERA went up to 2.22.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Carly Maxton, who woke up with a team-leading 1.06 ERA, came in for Wyman and got out of the first inning with a strikeout and popout. The Pack went three up, three down in the bottom of the first and Maxton couldn’t carry over her success from the top of the first inning to the top of the second.

The Seahawks scored three runs in the inning but one was only charged to Maxton as the Pack’s offense committed two errors that resulted in two runs. Only three Wolfpack batters went up in the second again, giving UNCW a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Maxton got two outs in the third before junior right-handed pitcher Wynne Gore replaced her. Since Maxton was only charged one earned run, her ERA only jumped to 1.30. Gore pitched the last 4.1 innings, giving up no runs on three hits.

While NC State’s pitching settled in after the first two innings, the offense couldn’t support it, putting together just two hits in the first five innings. It was in the sixth inning when the Pack’s bats found some success. It scored four runs in the inning behind two home runs. Junior designated hitter Hannah Church launched her team-leading sixth home run, driving in two runs and two at-bats later, junior second baseman MaKayla Marbury smashed a two-run homer for her second of the year to cut the deficit to 5-4 going into the last frame.

Gore sent the Seahawks three up, three down in the top of the seventh, giving her offense a chance to win the game in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore left fielder Tori Ensley made it to second base with two outs but Church popped out, snapping the Pack’s seven-game winning streak.

5-3 loss to Michigan

After closing out the previous game, Gore started against the Wolverines and carried over her play from the end of the first game, giving up just one run over the first four innings. Much like the first game, the Wolfpack’s offense put no runs on the board, failing to support Gore.

It was in the top of the fifth inning when Michigan got to Gore. Gore walked the first batter, and gave up a single to the second, putting runners on first and third. The junior pitcher then gave up a single and double, allowing the Wolverines to score two runs. Maxton came in for Gore and immediately gave up a single that scored a run. The run was charged to Gore as she ended up allowing four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

Maxton got the second out of the fifth inning before Gore returned to get the third, but the Wolverines were out to a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. After leaving five runners on base through the first four innings, the Wolfpack scored with a runner in scoring position when freshman shortstop Kendall Simmers singled up the inning to score Tori Ensley.

Wyman came in for Gore in the top of the sixth and sent down the first three batters she saw. In the bottom of the inning, the Wolfpack finally gave its pitcher some run support when senior third baseman Hannah Goodwin and junior second baseman Teagan Thrunk hit back-to-back home runs to cut the deficit to 4-3.

After a clean sixth inning, Wyman gave up a run in the top of the seventh but gave her offense a chance, down just 5-3 going into the final frame. Freshman pinch runner Kam Munson made it to second base with one out but Simmers and Church both struck out looking as the Wolverines won 5-3.

NC State certainly had its chances to score more than three runs against Michigan. It had nine at-bats with runners in scoring position but managed to only get one hit, including leaving a runner on third with less than two outs.

Next, the Wolfpack will play Queens and UNCW on Saturday. First pitch against Queens is set for 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. against UNCW.