The NC State softball team split its series with the Virginia Cavaliers this past weekend, splitting the doubleheader with a 2-4 loss followed by a 6-4 win on Saturday, March 19, before losing the game 2-0 on Sunday, March 20 and winning the series finale 5-0 on Monday, March 22.
Saturday doubleheader
The Wolfpack (14-8, 10-8 ACC) got sucker punched by the Cavaliers (9-14, 4-13 ACC) in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Virginia scored two runs in the first inning and an additional third run in the bottom of the second to put the Pack in an early 3-0 deficit from which it would not recover.
Some small ball strategy put the Pack on the board in the third when freshman first baseman Haley Haislip reached first base on a hit by pitch. Redshirt sophomore infielder April Visser pinch ran for Haislip and reached third base after stealing second and advancing on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Kaylee Lambrecht. Redshirt junior outfielder Sam Russ drove Visser in on a bunt single to make it 3-1.
The Cavs held on to their lead for the remainder of the game despite leaving five runners on base from the fourth inning onward. NC State missed its chances as well, failing to drive in the tying run in both the fifth and sixth innings. An uneventful seventh inning secured the 4-2 victory for Virginia.
The second half of the doubleheader was more fortuitous for the Wolfpack, as it earned its first of two wins in the series. The Cavaliers struck early again, scoring four runs in the second inning, but redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Sydney Nester regained her resolve and shut out the Cavs from then on out.
The Pack responded quickly with a four-run inning of its own in the top of the third. A hit by pitch, Virginia error and an infield single loaded the bases for redshirt senior center fielder Angie Rizzi with no outs. Rizzi made good on this opportunity by knocking a 2-RBI double into the gap in left center field to cut the lead in half and put the tying run in scoring position. Redshirt junior third baseman Logan Morris converted her scoring opportunity as well, hitting a single down the left field line to send both runners home and tie the game at 4-4.
The Wolfpack took the lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on a string of two-out base hits. With the go-ahead run on second base, redshirt freshman first baseman Libby Whitaker capitalized on the chance by singling to left field to put the Pack ahead 5-4. After Whitaker advanced to second on the throw home, Lambrecht drove in an insurance run with another single to put the score at 6-4. That’s where the score remained for the rest of the game as the Wolfpack split the doubleheader with the Cavs.
Sunday
After losing a four-run lead in the latter half of the doubleheader, Virginia asserted its control over the series by shutting out NC State 2-0 in the game on Sunday, March 21. Despite only allowing two hits, no walks, no earned runs and notching three strikeouts, freshman left-handed pitcher Estelle Czech was stuck with the loss largely due to the defense behind her. Two errors early in the top of the first inning led to the Cavaliers jumping to an early 2-0 lead, an advantage that they would not relinquish.
The Wolfpack failed to make up for its early mistakes, leaving eight runners on base and striking out nine times over the course of the game. Despite only mustering two hits, the Pack was able to get this many runners on base in the first place by drawing six walks, though it was not able to convert these baserunners into runs in the 2-0 loss.
Monday
Czech returned to the pitcher’s circle Monday for the series finale and put on another no-earned-run showcase, allowing only two baserunners over five innings. Unlike the game on Sunday, Czech was backed up by her offense and earned the win. A sacrifice fly by Morris gave Czech an early 1-0 lead that the southpaw refused to let slip away.
Rizzi sparked a three-run inning in the third with a sharp grounder through the right side of the infield that found its way to the wall, allowing Visser to score from first base. Morris followed suit by padding the lead with a two-run homer to make it 4-0 in favor of the Pack.
The Wolfpack scored another run in the fifth inning, but it certainly could have been more as State left the bases loaded. After a one-out single by redshirt senior right fielder Tatyana Forbes, NC State drew three consecutive walks to bring Forbes home and put the Pack up 5-0. That was the end of the rally however, as Lambrecht and redshirt junior outfielder Carson Shaner struck out back-to-back to end the frame.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Brooklyn Lucero closed the lid on the game and the series with two shutout innings that included no hits, two walks and two strikeouts. The 5-0 win was an anomaly within the series, as the Pack posted a run differential of three over the course of the four games.
NC State will continue its road trip as it travels to Notre Dame to take on the Fighting Irish. The first game of the four-game series begins on Friday, March 26 at 5 p.m.
