In Saturday’s doubleheader against Pitt, Wolfpack softball left everything on the field and went out with a bang in its final two games of the season. Both contests were nothing short of slugfests as the two teams combined for 34 runs and 42 hits in just two games.
Despite the high-scoring affair, the Pack drew the short end of the stick in each game, dropping the first game 8-12 and the second 5-9. With these two losses, NC State finishes the season with 18 wins and 35 losses; the team’s worst record since 2017.
The first game saw a dramatic first two innings as the two teams battled back and forth. The Panthers struck first, with a pair of back-to-back doubles that brought in four runners in the first inning.
NC State brought out the rocket launchers and swiftly answered Pitt’s fantastic start. Redshirt junior first baseman Libby Whittaker and sophomore third baseman Hannah Goodwin each hit two-run home runs, quickly tying the game for the Pack in the top of the second. Sophomore designated hitter Taylor Ensley singled to center field and brought home graduate center fielder Rebecca Murray to put the Wolfpack up one.
After the Panthers tied the game at five, Pitt catcher Rachael Fuerst hit a grand slam with two outs on the board. The home team allowed just one run in the third and found themselves up five after three innings.
Earning two more runs in the fifth, Pitt went up 12-5. Although NC State mounted a three-run rally over the final two innings, the deficit was too much to overcome for the Pack and it ultimately lost game one 8-12.
Game two followed a similar script to the prior match, with Pitt building a 7-3 lead in three innings and holding on through the rest of the game. Each team tacked on two more runs in the latter half of the game, including a home run from Goodwin in the seventh to end a disappointing season on a positive note.
Goodwin was far and away the Pack’s MVP for the season, accumulating double-digit home runs and a batting average of .341, while no other member reached a .290 average. With the recent coaching change, it will be worth following to see if she takes her talents to the transfer portal or remains at NC State.
The Wolfpack is guaranteed to finish lower than No. 10 in the ACC, so the team will not qualify for a spot in the ACC and NCAA tournaments as the 2023 season comes to a close.
NC State has plenty of work to do — including hiring a new head coach — before the start of the 2024 season if it wants to be competitive again. The future remains uncertain for Pack softball but from players to coaches a lot can be learned from this season.
