NC State softball had its highest scoring output of the 2023 season in its first of two back-to-back games against NC Central, winning its first game 19-9 and losing the second game 10-3.
Heading into the matchup, the Eagles (2-17) had only won a single so far on the season, giving the Wolfpack (6-14, 0-3 ACC) an opportunity for a pair of get-right games. The Pack came away with the first win, but was unable to replicate its high-scoring output in the second game due to changes to the pitching lineup and fatigue setting in.
NC State started game one with freshman right-handed pitcher Rylee Wyman on the mound, who gave up two homers that drove in four total runs for the Eagles in the first two innings.The Pack not only matched, but exceeded the Eagles’ impressive performance at the plate — NC State scored nine runs through two innings, headlined by a grand slam in the bottom of the second inning from freshman third baseman Nadia Sykes.
The Wolfpack switched to redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Aisha Weixlmann for the third and fourth innings. During her time in the circle, she recorded three strikeouts, leading back-to-back zero-run innings to keep NC Central in check.
The Pack also did some damage at bat in the third and fourth innings; graduate center fielder Rebecca Murray hit a home run and redshirt junior first baseman Libby Whittaker recorded an RBI. Whitaker later scored off of a wild pitch, putting NC State up 13-4 over halfway through the first contest.
Shortly after, NC Central showed some hitting power with a grand slam in the top of the fifth inning to position itself within striking distance of the Wolfpack. This would be the only inning NC Central outscored NC State, but the 14-8 score remained in favor of the Wolfpack.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brooklyn Lucero pitched the fifth and sixth innings to close out the contest, giving up five runs, four hits and one strikeout. The red-and-white closed the game out in six innings with a timely grand slam from junior catcher Haley Haislip to give the Pack a 19-9 mercy-rule victory.
Game two saw freshman right-handed pitcher Wynne Gore take the mound for the first four innings, recording two strikeouts and giving up two home runs. NC State struggled to score runs during this period, falling to a 7-1 deficit by the end of the fourth inning. The red-and-white’s only run came from freshman right fielder Ellie Goins as she stole two bases and made her way home off of a hit from Sykes in the bottom of the third.
The last three innings were pitched by Weixlmann, who made an immediate impact by recording three strikeouts in a row in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth inning to hold the Eagles to zero runs, opening the door for a potential Wolfpack comeback.
The Pack failed to tack on any runs in the fifth, but outscored NC Central 2-0 in the sixth off the hitting power of Sykes and sophomore designated hitter Taylor Ensley. The comeback fell short, however, when NC Central hit a three-run homerun to put the final nail in the coffin.
NC Central also obtained its first win over NC State in school history — a disappointing end to the day in what has been an overall-disappointing season for Wolfpack softball. But, things do appear to be on the mend, especially with a new coach and younger players trying to create a winning culture, and a 19-run game is certainly a step in that direction.
The Wolfpack will stay in Raleigh this weekend to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 10 at Dail Softball Stadium.
