April 5, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. – A six-run fifth inning broke open a 2-2 game and gave the NC State Softball Team (20-18, 4-6) an 8-3 win over Georgia Tech (17-24, 2-7) Saturday morning at Dail Stadium. The teams were supposed to play a doubleheader today and moved the first pitch up to 11:00 a.m. to try and beat the forecasted heavy rain, but the second game has been moved to tomorrow after it began raining. Tech and NC State will now play a doubleheader Sunday beginning at Noon. Senior Aileen Morales hit a two-run home run on her birthday for the Yellow Jackets who had a 2-0 lead until the fourth inning.
The Jackets had base runners in each of the first two innings in game one, but were unable to get a run off NC State pitcher Lindsey Campana. Senior Aileen Morales led off the game with a walk and then stole second base, but was thrown out later in the inning trying to nab third. It was the first time in 33 attempts that she had been thrown out this season.
Tech broke through for two runs in the top of the third inning. Freshman Christy Jones reached on an infield bunt single stole second base and then scored when Morales laced a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left-centerfield. It was her fourth home run of the season. The Jsckets had two runners on with two outs later in the inning, but junior Whitney Haller grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Wolfpack had a runner on second with two outs but Tech senior third baseman Brittany Barnes made a diving catch going to her left on a sinking line drive off the bat of pinch hitter Mackenzie Mangum. It saved a run and sent the game onto the fourth inning and the Jackets still leading 2-0.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, back-to-back home runs by Kristine Bechtholdt and Claudia Cooper of NC State tied the game up at two and also knocked senior Whitney Humphreys out of the game. Freshman Emily Schreck came in and got the final two outs of the inning easily, but the damage had been done.
NC State blew the game wide open with a six-run fifth inning. Schreck loaded the bases with one out on a walk, error and infield bunt single. A bases loaded walk, hit by pitch and then bloop single up the middle gave the Wolfpack three runs and a 5-2 lead. Schreck then got the second out of the inning on a force play at the plate, but a two-run single by Bridget Desbois into right field just out of the reach of a diving Blair Shimandle proved to be the big blow. A RBI single by Lauren Peters as well closed out the scoring as NC State batted around.
Tech got one of the runs back in the top of the sixth. Senior Savannah Brown doubled to right field and then scored on a Barnes single down the left field line. Barnes was thrown out, however, trying to stretch it into a double ending the inning.
That would be the end of the scoring as the Jackets could not scratch anything out in the seventh. Schreck (4-2) took the loss as she gave up six runs, but only two were earned. She was charged for four hits and two walks with no strikeouts. Humphreys allowed two earned runs on four hits. She did not walk a batter and struck out two.
After moving today’s game up two hours because of forecasted rain for later today, the second game of the doubleheader was moved to tomorrow at Noon. Game three of the series will be immediately after. Fans can follow the games on ACC Select with live streaming video. Live stats will also be available via Gametracker at www.ramblinwreck.com.
