The NC State softball team dropped the opening game in its home series against the No. 16 Virginia Tech Hokies 4-2 on Friday, March 12. Despite an early two-run homer by redshirt junior third baseman Logan Morris (1-2, HR, 2 RBI, BB), the Pack was unable to hold on to its lead.
The Wolfpack (11-4, 7-4 ACC) sent out redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Sydney Nester (3.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 H), who was rolling from the pitcher’s circle early, retiring the first seven batters in order. The two-run home run off the left field foul pole by Morris gave NC State some hope early, but Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-2 ACC) and its starter, right-handed pitcher Keely Rochard, asserted control of the game. Rochard struck out 12 NC State batters by the time the game was over.
“We’re watching too many strikes go by, which is not what we do as hitters,” said redshirt senior designated player Brigette Nordberg (1-3, 2 K). “We’re supposed to attack any pitch in the zone. We were just lacking on that as a whole. Attacking the pitches in the zone tomorrow will definitely put us ahead.”
Nester eventually lost the lead in the top of the third inning as the Hokies put up three runs on three hits and three walks. Nester surrendered a nine-pitch walk after putting away her seventh consecutive batter and it was all downhill from there.
“She was shutting them down early,” said head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. “Her pitches were moving, [the Hokies] were swinging through a lot. When we walked that one hitter, it seemed to unravel from there. They weren’t necessarily hitting her hard…we can’t walk people and that was a big turning point.”
After a single to center field dropped in front of redshirt senior center fielder Angie Rizzi (0-1, 2 BB), she fired a rocket to redshirt junior catcher Sam Sack (0-3, 2 K) to catch the leadoff runner in a rundown that led to out three to stop the bleeding at 3-2.
The Wolfpack almost erased the one-run deficit in the bottom half of the frame with a two-out rally that ultimately fizzled out. After Rochard forced two weak groundouts, redshirt senior right fielder Tatyana Forbes (2-4) singled and Rizzi walked to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Morris was unable to repeat her first-inning homer, and she popped out to the catcher to end the inning.
Nester did not recover from her third-inning blip, allowing another run on two hits to extend Virginia Tech’s lead to 4-2. Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Abby Trahan (3.1 IP, 0 ER) entered from the bullpen to relieve Nester after 3.2 innings of work and shut down the Hokies from there on out by not allowing a single baserunner.
Trahan’s excellence was supplemented by more defensive prowess shown by Rizzi, who ran down a fly ball to deep center in impressive fashion to lead off the sixth inning.
“That was a huge play, I can’t wait to watch that replay,” Patrick-Swift said. “The first step and completing doing a 180 turn and go, there’s no telling how far she ran, but that was huge. I’m glad we have a lot more games left this season with her, but she’s going to be greatly missed with the defense that kid can play.”
The Pack created more opportunities to deplete its deficit in the last two innings, but failed to capitalize on both occasions. With runners on first and second with one out, redshirt junior shortstop Randi Farricker (0-3) and Sack both struck out. The bottom of the seventh saw a similar situation as Forbes came up to bat with runners on first and second with NC State down to its final out, but a three-pitch strikeout ended the ballgame.
“Our game plan all weekend was to swing the bat,” Patrick-Swift said. “Keely [Rochard] is a great pitcher, but we made her even better tonight… That was my frustration, that we beat ourselves. We went against our game plan, we had runners in situations late, on first and second at least twice, in the heart of our order and we’re taking pitches.”
The Wolfpack hopes to make some adjustments before taking on Virginia Tech again in Saturday’s doubleheader. Nordberg said the main idea was “knowing that if we play our best then we can go out and beat anyone on any given day.”
Additionally, one of the team’s stars, redshirt freshman pitcher/infielder Sam Gress, was missing from the lineup in the game due to injury.
“Luckily, [Gress’s leg] is not broken,” Jennifer Patrick-Swift said. “It’s a sprain, so it’s day-to-day. That’s how we’re taking it, trying to get the swelling down. Hopefully in a couple of days, she’ll be back. Better than broke and out for the rest of the season.”
The Pack will look to bounce back in a doubleheader against the Hokies on Saturday, March 13. The first game will start at noon and will be broadcast on the ACC Network. The second game is slated to begin at 2 p.m. and will be aired on ACC Network Extra.
