The NC State softball team lost its last nonconference game of the season 8-6 to Campbell at Dail Softball Stadium Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack (26-23, 12-6 ACC) had defeated the Camels (26-22, 11-9 NHL) two times already this season at the scores of 8-0 and 9-1 during the NC State Invitational. Despite the wins, Campbell came out strong against the Pack with sophomore catcher Kayla Fredendall hitting a home run in the first inning, bringing home infielder Kynadi Tipler to put Campbell on the board 2-0.
“I don’t think we were mentally prepared,” sophomore infielder Madeline Curtis said. “We took them a little lightly and came in here and thought it would be handed to us and it wasn’t.”
Unable to respond to Campbell, the Pack remained scoreless in the first inning. The Pack almost gave up another run in the top of the second inning as outfielder Claudia Ware was waiting on third base but freshman right-hander Sydney Nester struck out the next batter to keep the score unchanged.
Due to a fielding error, NC State was able to come alive in the bottom of the second when junior outfielder Angie Rizzi reached first base and came around to score to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Wolfpack was not able to hold the Fighting Camels in the top of the third when Tipler earned her second run of the night to put Campbell up 3-1.
There was hope in the bottom of the third when senior infielder Natalie Jones reached third base, but junior right fielder Brigette Nordberg walked and sophomore infielder Logan Morris flew out for the Pack’s third out.
The Wolfpack faced a dilemma in the fourth inning when a fielding error by junior infielder Skylar Johnston allowed Campbell’s Hannah McCravy to score, putting the Pack down 4-1.
With two outs, Campbell had the bases loaded with Fredendall up to bat, and Nester was able to strike her out before any more runs scored but the damage was done.
The Wolfpack forced Campbell to take out star pitcher Megan Richards for Haley Hutchins after Richards gave up two consecutive walks.
The Pack loaded the bases with two outs to spare as pinch-hitter Curtis came in for Wagner and changed the game with a hit to the fence. Curtis cleared the bases and brought home Johnston, Rizzi and sophomore infielder Chandley Garner.
“I knew my team needed a hit,” Curtis said. “I just had to go out there, think and see a pitch at a good height, and get after it and that’s what I did.”
Head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift recognized that the hit changed the outcome of the game.
“You get a pinch hit off the bench that comes in and clears the bases and I mean that’s everything,” Patrick-Swift said. “That’s the purpose of a pinch hit and it couldn’t be scripted any better.”
With a tied score of 4-4, Campbell opened the fifth inning with a home run by senior infielder Megan Mozingo to retake the lead 5-4 from relief pitcher junior Devin Wallace. Campbell loaded the bases with two outs and a walk tacked on another run for the Camels.
Wallace was switched out with sophomore right-hander Kama Woodall who then walked Tipler and brought home another run. Out of the four walks given up in the inning, two led to runs that increased the Pack’s deficit to 7-4.
The Pack didn’t fare well offensively afterward with a double play followed by a third out to quickly end the fifth inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, Campbell added an insurance run to make the score 8-4 but was stopped in the seventh inning, both defensively and offensively. Nordberg and Morris scored in back-to-back plays to close the gap to 8-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning but the Pack’s rally fell short and it was unable to defeat Campbell.
The Wolfpack will return to play Virginia at Dail Softball Stadium this Friday at 6 p.m.
