For the third game in a row, the NC State softball team couldn’t get anything going on offense against Virginia Tech, losing 1-0 and getting swept in the weekend series.
The Wolfpack (16-11, 0-3 ACC) could only muster three hits and two walks, making weak contact on ground balls and popups all afternoon.
“We were hitting ground balls, we were just pounding it into the ground,” head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift said. “We were not hitting [good] pitches.”
NC State threatened early, putting runners on first and second base on a leadoff walk by sophomore left fielder Sam Russ and an infield single by junior right fielder Brigette Nordberg. The Pack couldn’t draw first blood though, with sophomore third baseman Logan Morris grounding into a double play and junior designated player Skylar Johnston grounding out.
The Hokies (21-4, 5-1 ACC) looked to get on the board on the top of the second inning, putting runners on second and third base with just one out, but junior right-hander Devin Wallace worked her way out of the jam, sandwiching a walk between two fly outs to end the inning.
Virginia Tech finally struck first just a couple innings later as third baseman Kelsey Bennett led off the top of the fourth inning with a triple and came around to score on a sacrifice fly one batter later to take a 1-0 lead.
Wallace took the loss for the Pack but was exceptional all game long, striking out nine batters and allowing just two hits in a complete-game outing. Bouncing back from a start in her previous game where she lasted just three batters, walking all three, Wallace turned in one of her best performances of the season.
NC State couldn’t figure out Virginia Tech starter Carrie Eberle, who twirled a complete-game gem. Eberle allowed just three hits and issued only two walks, constantly forcing the Pack into weak groundouts and pop flies.
“She was just throwing the ball the way she was supposed to,” Nordberg said. “Keeping it down in the zone and we weren’t making the adjustments we needed to make.”
Nordberg (1-for-3), redshirt junior first baseman Randi Farricker (1-for-3) and junior center fielder Angie Rizzi (1-for-2, HBP, K) picked up the only three hits for the Pack, and Russ (0-for-1, two BB) drew two walks, rounding out the Pack’s four players to reach base on the day.
“We didn’t attack the pitches we knew we were going to see,” Nordberg said. “That’s why we failed this weekend.”
NC State will return to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it takes on Winthrop at Dail Softball Stadium.
Sophomore infielder Logan Morris hits against Campbell on Saturday March 4, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Morris went 2-3 with two runs, and three runs batted in. The Wolfpack won 8-0.
