When Georgia Tech’s Blair Shimandle hit a three-run homerun in the fourth inning to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead, it looked like N.C. State might close out its home schedule with two straight losses.
Instead, the Wolfpack said goodbye until next year to the Walnut Creek Softball Complex Sunday with a come-from-behind 7-3 victory.
The win gave State two wins over Georgia Tech in the three-game weekend series.
Coach Lisa Navas said getting two games in the series was important as the Pack heads out on the road to finish the season.”[Georgia Tech] is a very good program,” Navas said. “This is huge for us to get these two wins.”
Junior Jen Chamberlin, who hit a towering homerun that tied the score at three in the fifth inning, said this weekend was a confidence booster for the team.
“[This series] was very important,” Chamberlin said. “It’s important to us to go out and prove to ourselves that we belong out there.”
She said coach Navas challenged the team before Saturday’s game, which State won 9-1, by reminding it of its losing record all-time against the Yellow Jackets.
“Coach Navas told us that we were 1-7 against them,” Chamberlin said. “So we had nothing to lose. We just went out there, hit the ball and played our game.”
The second game of Sunday’s doubleheader not only marked the end of the Pack’s home schedule, but it was also the home finale for the team’s three seniors.
The team honored seniors Tess Corona, Caroline Blount and Jessica Willems on the field before the first game, and all three played in both games.
Navas said senior day is always tough emotionally.
“It’s just really hard,” Navas said. “They will all be deeply missed and it’s always tough for me. The kids say I never cry, but this is always tough.”
State finishes its regular season with 13 road games before the ACC tournament and Corona, who hit her second homerun of the season Sunday, said knowing that made the day easier.
“It’s a little bit sad,” Corona said. “But at the same time we still have so much more season left and it’s nice to know that it’s not over yet.”Chamberlin reflected after the game on the contributions of the seniors.
“Tess is such a big asset to our team in the infield at second base,” Chamberlin said. “And Jessica and Caroline are always there for you and are awesome in the outfield and at the plate. It’s just hard losing girls that are close to you.”
With the two wins this weekend the Pack moves to 35-15 overall and 8-4 in the conference. The eight conference wins is the most in the short history of N.C. State softball and puts State alone in second place in the ACC.
The Pack next plays at Charlotte for a doubleheader Wednesday and returns to conference play at Florida State Saturday.
