The softball team beat UNC-Greensboro in both games of a doubleheader at Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Wednesday.
In the first game the Wolfpack beat the Spartans 4-0. Junior pitcher Abbie Sims allowed no runs. After pitching the first game, Sims became the 10th player in the ACC to record 550 strikeouts.
The junior, noting the size and prestige of the conference, said it is a huge honor to reach that mark. Sims said the skill and quality of other teams in the league made the honor even greater.
Sophomore Megan Dalthorp pitched the second game for a 5-3 win. For the first two innings, no Spartan batters reached base.
Dalthorp said her focus was on “just staying consistent all the way through the game.”
The second game began with a diving catch by sophomore Blair Harkey in center field. Junior third baseman Jen Chamberlin made the next two outs when she fielded a slow grounder and made the throw to first, then caught a fly ball. In the second inning, the Wolfpack defense made three more clean outs with no runs, no hits and no errors.
Spartan third baseman Kara Clouser started the third inning off with a bang when she hit a home run over the fence on the first pitch. Dalthorp answered by striking out two of the next three batters. The third out came from sophomore shortstop Shanna Smith, who fielded a ground ball and threw to first.
UNCG’s one-run advantage did not last long. Later in the same inning, Harkey was on third base and Smith on second when Chamberlin stepped up to the plate. Chamberlin hit a home run down the middle and over the fence, making the score 3-1.
The Pack got three straight outs to start the fifth inning, then scored again. Junior Beth Poore stole home on a stray ball past the catcher, and leftfielder Alycia LePage advanced to third. When Spartan pitcher Vanessa Oakes walked Smith, LePage also stole home, increasing the lead to 5-1.
The Spartans would not be shut down easily, and in the sixth inning outfielder Lyndsey Wilson and second baseman Adriane Audley scored on a double by outfielder Krista Judge to cut the deficit to 5-3.
Though the Spartans did not score again after that, coach Lisa Navas said her team has a lot to work on.
“We made a lot of mistakes defensively, and we capitalized on them by scoring some runs. But we’re still not hitting the ball and doing the things we need to,” Navas said. “We need to get a lot sharper.”
Dalthorp noted the importance of teamwork, saying the defense behind her was an important part of getting outs and making plays.
Navas said the team is focused on its tournament this weekend at the University of Arizona, the Worth Wildcat Tournament.
“We’ve got a tough tournament ahead of us,” Navas said. “It’s an opportunity to play some good teams. Specifically, Texas Tech and Tennessee Tech are teams that have been to regionals and are good programs. We really need to shape it up real quick.”
