On a very chilly February afternoon, the NC State softball team played its first games since a doubleheader on March 10, 2020, dropping the first game against Boston College 1-0 before winning the second 6-3.
The first game ended in a narrow loss with the lone score coming from a home run in the second inning. As the first game in almost a year, the Wolfpack had some rust to shake off, but by the second game, the Pack were back.
“Just trying to get the feel back, especially the first game…,” said head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift. “We were tight, pressed and just couldn’t get comfortable…I think we finally got to ourselves later on.”
Redshirt senior pitcher Abby Trahan got the nod for the first game, and although credited with the loss, pitched a solid game, striking out five and only allowing four hits. Redshirt sophomore Sydney Nester came in in relief, not allowing another hit in the final two innings of the first game.
The Pack left 14 runners stranded during the first game, proving it was capable of getting runners on, but had trouble bringing them in. The Wolfpack made adjustments in the second game and brought in six total runs and left only seven.
One of the major changes between the first and second game was the Pack’s ability to drive the ball as the team hit two home runs, something Patrick-Swift wants her team to always be looking for.
“We didn’t do our style of hitting,” Patrick-Swift said. “We just didn’t look comfortable in the box. When we hit home runs, we win a lot of games.”
The second game was a more exciting 6-3 win for the Wolfpack with two home runs, impressive defense and seven hits per team. The second game felt a lot more natural to Patrick-Swift as well as the players. Redshirt senior outfield Angie Rizzi was the first member of the Pack to put one over the wall, hitting a 3-run homer in the fifth inning.
“I changed my mindset, I changed my approach,” Rizzi said. “I just got after it and I had my results.”
Nester started the second game for the Pack and gave up three runs after her two innings of scoreless relief in the first game, recording three strikeouts in four innings. After the offense produced three runs to tie the game, Nester left with a no decision. Trahan came in for closing, and got the win for the game, starting her season off with a 1-1 record.
The Eagles took an early lead in the first inning off a few hits, scoring on a fielder’s choice to make it 1-0. The Eagles would continue to score in the third inning off a few more base hits. The Wolfpack managed to stop the bleeding in the third with impressive defense, leaving the basses loaded to end the inning.
The Pack saw its first runs of the day via the bomb from Rizzi in left-center field with two runners on, tying the game 3-3. The Wolfpack was able to get two more runners on base after Rizzi’s homer but both were left stranded.
NC State went right back into it after retiring the side with a double from redshirt junior Logan Morris, putting her in scoring position. Freshman Gracie Roberts came in to pinch run for Morris after she advanced two second and the freshman scored on a sacrifice fly from redshirt freshman third baseman Sam Gress, giving the Wolfpack its first lead of the day at 4-3.
That’s when redshirt junior left fielder Sam Russ hit a 2-run home run well over the right field fence to solidify a 6-3 lead.
“The at-bats, the swings, the approach, the mindset; everything changed from that point on,” Patrick-Swift said, referencing Rizzi’s homer.
NC State starts the season 1-1, but will play four more games in the next three days. The softball schedule for the Pack is filled with more doubleheaders and strings of four games in a row, many in three days.
“We’re in good physical condition, but I think it’s more mental that’s going to be tough on us,” Trahan said. “Taking it pitch by pitch, it can get overwhelming…it’s really up to us to stay in the moment.”
The Pack will play Louisville Thursday evening and then take the Cardinals in a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a tiebreaker on Saturday against the Eagles.
