The NC State softball team (3-8) opened its five-game slate in the Wolfpack Classic with a 5-0 loss to East Tennessee State (1-9) on Thursday evening at Dail Stadium.
The Buccaneers struck first in the top half of the second inning after a bases-loaded single from Jasmine Sanchez drove home a pair of runs. Sanchez's hit was met with a throwing error that advanced a third runner home, giving East Tennessee State an early 3-0 edge.
The Buccaneers' offensive attack continued in the fifth inning when a throwing error allowed for Sanchez to reach second base, with the Sanchez later scoring on an RBI single from leadoff batter Riley Nayadley to push East Tennessee State ahead 4-0.
The Buccaneers tacked on a fifth run in the sixth frame, as a two-out triple from MaKayla Strickland drove home Makenzie Henderson who drew a leadoff walk grew East Tennessee State's lead to 5-0.
Despite struggling in the batter's box, NC State's starting pitcher
Rylee Wyman alongside a relief effort from
Aisha Weixlmann limited the Buccaneers to just six hits on the evening.
Wyman was the pitcher of record for the Pack, dropping her record in the circle to 0-4 while East Tennessee State's Brianna Bailey went the distance in the win to improve to 1-3 on the season.
NC State will be back in action for the second day of the Wolfpack Classic on Friday, Feb. 24 as the Wolfpack will welcome Penn to Dail Stadium at 3 p.m. and will face East Tennessee State for the second time of the weekend at 5:30 p.m. Both games are slated to be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra.
https://gopack.com/news/2023/2/23/softball-pack-drops-opener-of-wolfpack-classic.aspxThe 'Homerun Mindset' was in full effect on day two of the Wolfpack Classic as NC State picked up two straight wins.
The Pack set a season high in runs scored (15) and homeruns (6) in a single game. The last time NC State scored 15 runs was in March of 2022 at UNC. It has been 10 years since the Pack hit six homers in a game, as the last time was April 27, 2013 against Boston College.
NC State 15, Penn 6 (5 inn.)Penn wasted no time getting on the board as the fifth batter singled up the left line bringing one across home. The Quakers attempt to take a larger lead was cut short after the next batter grounded out to shortstop
MaKayla Marbury.
With one out, Marbury stepped up to the plate and drilled a ball past the left field fence to tie the game, one all. The hit was her second solo homer this season and third overall. Graduate
Katlyn Pavlick doubled up the left line to record her third double of the season. The bottom of the first was retired after
Taylor Ensley lined out to left field.
Both teams remained scoreless in the second but the bottom of the third allowed the Pack take the lead. Marbury singled up the middle and Pavlick doubled to center field with one out to get two in scoring position.
Madison Inscoe was the fourth batter up for NC State and reached on an error by the Quakers infield, allowing Marbury to score. Ensley, the Pack's designated player, stepped up to the plate with one out and two on base. On the second pitch thrown her way, she sent a ball past the center field wall to record her second home run of the season.
Penn brought in a pitching change hoping to stop the Wolfpack's scoring burst, but were unable to slow their momentum. Freshman
Amanda Hasler stepped up to the plate and doubled down the right line to add two more runs to the board.
Alaina Smith stepped in the box and reached first on an error by the Quakers left field. NC State finished the third inning with six runs and five hits.
Penn attempted to minimize the Wolfpack's lead, but were unable to find a weak spot in the Pack's defense.
Inscoe recorded a leadoff home run to start the bottom half of the fourth. Ensley drilled a second ball past the centerfield wall to record her third home run of the season and give the Pack a 9-1 lead over the Quakers.
Penn managed to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Bella Fiorentino hit a ball past the center field fence to record a two RBI homer and minimize the Pack's lead to six. The Quakers brought in one more run before
Rebecca Murray retired the inning after catching a line drive.
The bottom of the fourth and fifth saw three home runs for the Pack, one being a grand slam from Hasler, which ended the game.
NC State 8, ETSU 2The Buccaneers jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the end of the first, but the Wolfpack maintained the momentum from game one of the afternoon.
With two outs,
Ellie Goins stepped up to the plate and hit a ball down the left line. Her double brought
Hannah Goodwin home and allowed the Pack to get on the board, trailing by one.
Inscoe entered the circle for the Wolfpack's second game of the afternoon. To end the top half of the third inning, she recorded her fourth strikeout to set a new single game career high. She finished the evening with seven strikeouts, the most by a NC State pitcher in a game this season.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hasler hit a lead off solo homer to tie the game 2-2. The hit was her second home run of the day.
ETSU made several attempts to regain the lead after the Pack tied it up, but they were unsuccessful.
Ensley recorded her third homer of the day, this time bringing Smith home with her. Three batters later, Goins stepped into the box and drilled a ball past left field to record her first homer of the season.
Goodwin recorded the Pack's final two RBI's of the day when she singled to center field, bringing Ensley and Inscoe across the plate.
The Wolfpack finished the second game of the day with eight runs on nine hits and no errors.
Up NextThe Pack returns to Dail Stadium for a single game on Saturday Feb. 25. They will host James Madison at 3pm and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX.
https://gopack.com/news/2023/2/24/softball-homerun-mindset-in-effect-on-day-two-of-wolfpack-classic.aspx