March 30, 2013
THE FLATS – The NC State softball team scored 11 runs over the last three innings to defeat Georgia Tech, 12-4, and avoid the series sweep Saturday. The Jackets fell to 17-18 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Wolfpack improved to 15-16-1 on the season and 3-5 in ACC action.
The Pack broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning with five runs on five hits off of Tech reliever Karly Fullem. With one out and two runners on thanks to a pair of Tech errors, Caitlin Dent hit an RBI-double to left and Chelsea Tate roped an RBI single.
Up 3-1, NC State laced together three singles and a passed ball helped the Pack plate three runs for a 6-1 advantage, ending the day for Fullem. Kylie Kleinschmidt entered the game for Fullem in the circle and threw the remaining two innings.
The Pack tacked on six runs in the seventh inning. Kleinschmidt issued a two-out bases loaded walk to Lana Van Dyken. Kirsty Grant stepped to the plate and rocked a grand slam over the left-field wall, clearing the bases for Renada Davis’s solo-shot in the next at-bat.
Trailing 12-1, Tech put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Ashley Thomas and Alysha Rudnik singled to lead things off and moved over a base on an Emily Weiman wild pitch.
Hope Rush roped a sacrifice fly to center to score Ashley Thomas and Katie Johnsky’s single up the middle plated Rudnik. Fullem dug in and legged out her second triple of the season to score Johnsky, but she was stranded on base on a Courtney Ziese groundout.
Fullem (3-1) suffered her first loss of the season, going two innings with five runs on five hits and three strikeouts.
Weiman (13-14) picked up the victory in a complete-game effort. She allowed four runs on eight hits and fanned seven batters.
The Jackets are back in action Wednesday with a rematch against the Georgia Bulldogs. Action begins at 6 p.m. in Athens, Ga.
