NC State softball fell to Elon 5-4 Wednesday afternoon after scoring two runs in the top of the seventh in hopes to take the game.
Starting it off in the first, Elon smashed a pitch from freshman Sydney Nester over the left-field wall to put the Phoenix up 1-0. This was the only scoring opportunity for Elon until the fifth inning came around.
Freshman April Visser started off the Pack in the second inning by smashing her third homer of the year to center field to tie up the match. Junior Brigette Nordberg followed closely behind as she brought in the leading run with a double down the left-field line, putting NC State on top 2-1 over the Phoenix.
With runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, Elon was threatening to take the lead. Nester sported her third strikeout of the day by sitting down the next batter, but a single down the left-field line to tie it up 2-2.
Junior Devin Wallace came in to relieve Nester with the score tied 2-2 with runners on the corners and one out. A ground out to second put two away, but the leading run scored for the Phoenix. Not too long after, a run scored off a wild pitch, a walk and a double to left field gave Elon a three-run lead over the Pack heading into the top of the sixth.
The seventh inning was the Pack’s rally when a walk, hit-by-pitch and single loaded the bases with two away. Visser secured her third hit of the game when she brought in two runs to close up the lead from Phoenix by one. A fly out ended the threat to give the Wolfpack a 23-21 overall record on the season.
NC State will be back in action this weekend as it travels to Duke to compete in its next ACC series. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m.
Sophomore outfielder Sam Russ rounds second base on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Russ scored one run as NC State lost to Syracuse 5-3.
