Friday, February 12
Jacksonville, Fla. (Pruitt Softball Complex)
10 A.M.
NC State
1-0
5
vs
1
Coastal Carolina
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Coastal Carolina
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
4
0
NC State
0
0
4
0
1
0
X
5
6
0
Photo by: Greg Mintel
No. 23 NC State Softball Opens Season with Pair of Wins in River City Leadoff
2/12/2016 4:22:00 PM | Softball
Junior Tyler Ross homers in each game, Courtney Mirabella pitches two complete games
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The 23rd-ranked NC State softball team opened the 2016 season with a couple strong performances to secure a pair of wins Friday in the River City Leadoff hosted by Jacksonville University. The Wolfpack defeated Coastal Carolina in the first game of the day, 5-1, and earned a 3-1 victory against Kansas, a team receiving votes for the preseason top-25 poll.
NC State moves to 2-0 on the season, while Coastal Carolina and Kansas each fall to 0-1.
Rychcik's Review
Opening statement…
"I'm really happy to get two wins today," said head coach Shawn Rychcik. "I thought we competed hard today against two good teams. We had to make adjustments as each game progressed, but I'm real pleased to win both games."
On the adjustments during the games…
"We had a couple different looks today from pitchers and you have to get over your first-day jitters. I thought we did a good job communicating with each other and we swung the bats well."
On junior pitcher Courtney Mirabella…
"The game plan wasn't for her to pitch two complete games, but she worked her way through some things in the first game and when we were going to take her out in game two, she found her rhythm and I didn't want to break that up.
"She was good the first game and was even better in the second game, so I'm happy with her performance."
Quick Hits Versus Coastal Carolina
- NC State broke the scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the third. Hannah Yeager was hit-by-pitch to start the inning and Lana Van Dyken followed with an infield single.
- Junior Tyler Ross smashed the first pitch she saw from Coastal Carolina starter Kelsey Dominik over the fence in left center to put the Wolfpack ahead, 3-0.
- Molly Hutchison singled and scored on an RBI base hit down the left field line from senior Maggie Hawkins.
- In the fifth, Hawkins added her second RBI of the contest on a single to right field, as Macauley Prickett scored to make it 5-0.
- Dominik helped out her own cause in the sixth with a solo homer to center field to trim the NC State lead to 5-1, but the Wolfpack prevented the Chanticleers from getting any closer.
In the Pitcher's Circle
- Junior pitcher Courtney Mirabella earned the start in the circle and went the distance to earn the win.
- The Bradenton, Fla., native struck out nine batters, including four called strikeouts. She allowed just four hits and issued three walks.
Inside the Box Score
- Hawkins paced the Pack with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, highlighted by two RBI and a stolen base.
- Hutchison, Ross, Sommer and Van Dyken each had one hit.
- The Wolfpack was 4-for-11 (.364) with runners on base and limited the Chanticleers to a 1-for-8 (.125) clip.
Quick Hits Versus Kansas
- Ross gave NC State a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left center, her second of the day.
- The Wolfpack added a pair of runs the following inning to take a 3-0 lead thanks to a 2-RBI double down the left field line by freshman Cheyenne Balzer, her first collegiate hit.
- Hawkins opened the frame with a single to right field and advanced to third on a double to deep center field by Meredith Burroughs.
- NC State looked to score more in the fourth, but Kansas escaped the bases loaded jam with a grounder to the first baseman.
- Kansas starting pitcher Alexis Reid ended Mirabella's no-hit bid in the top of the seventh on a one-out solo home run to left field that looked as though it may go foul, but stayed fair for a homer.
In the Pitcher's Circle
- Mirabella found her stride against the Jayhawks and proceeded to retire 14 consecutive batters from the second to the seventh inning.
- She took a no-hit bit into the seventh, before having it end on the solo homer.
- The junior ended the contest with nine strikeouts (Four called strikeouts), allowed just two hits and one earned run.
Inside the Box Score
- Hawkins also led the Wolfpack offensively against Kansas with another 2-for-3 outing to finish the day 4-for-6 with two RBI and a stolen base.
- Balzer, Burroughs, Ross and Van Dyken had one hit apiece in the contest.
- NC State held Kansas without a hit with runners on base and the Jayhawks did not have their leadoff batter reach in any inning.
On Deck
NC State returns to the field Saturday at 3 p.m. to take on UNCG and concludes the day with a 5:30 p.m. tilt against host Jacksonville.
#STATEment
NC State moves to 2-0 on the season, while Coastal Carolina and Kansas each fall to 0-1.
Rychcik's Review
Opening statement…
"I'm really happy to get two wins today," said head coach Shawn Rychcik. "I thought we competed hard today against two good teams. We had to make adjustments as each game progressed, but I'm real pleased to win both games."
On the adjustments during the games…
"We had a couple different looks today from pitchers and you have to get over your first-day jitters. I thought we did a good job communicating with each other and we swung the bats well."
On junior pitcher Courtney Mirabella…
"The game plan wasn't for her to pitch two complete games, but she worked her way through some things in the first game and when we were going to take her out in game two, she found her rhythm and I didn't want to break that up.
"She was good the first game and was even better in the second game, so I'm happy with her performance."
Quick Hits Versus Coastal Carolina
- NC State broke the scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the third. Hannah Yeager was hit-by-pitch to start the inning and Lana Van Dyken followed with an infield single.
- Junior Tyler Ross smashed the first pitch she saw from Coastal Carolina starter Kelsey Dominik over the fence in left center to put the Wolfpack ahead, 3-0.
- Molly Hutchison singled and scored on an RBI base hit down the left field line from senior Maggie Hawkins.
- In the fifth, Hawkins added her second RBI of the contest on a single to right field, as Macauley Prickett scored to make it 5-0.
- Dominik helped out her own cause in the sixth with a solo homer to center field to trim the NC State lead to 5-1, but the Wolfpack prevented the Chanticleers from getting any closer.
In the Pitcher's Circle
- Junior pitcher Courtney Mirabella earned the start in the circle and went the distance to earn the win.
- The Bradenton, Fla., native struck out nine batters, including four called strikeouts. She allowed just four hits and issued three walks.
Inside the Box Score
- Hawkins paced the Pack with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, highlighted by two RBI and a stolen base.
- Hutchison, Ross, Sommer and Van Dyken each had one hit.
- The Wolfpack was 4-for-11 (.364) with runners on base and limited the Chanticleers to a 1-for-8 (.125) clip.
Quick Hits Versus Kansas
- Ross gave NC State a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left center, her second of the day.
- The Wolfpack added a pair of runs the following inning to take a 3-0 lead thanks to a 2-RBI double down the left field line by freshman Cheyenne Balzer, her first collegiate hit.
- Hawkins opened the frame with a single to right field and advanced to third on a double to deep center field by Meredith Burroughs.
- NC State looked to score more in the fourth, but Kansas escaped the bases loaded jam with a grounder to the first baseman.
- Kansas starting pitcher Alexis Reid ended Mirabella's no-hit bid in the top of the seventh on a one-out solo home run to left field that looked as though it may go foul, but stayed fair for a homer.
In the Pitcher's Circle
- Mirabella found her stride against the Jayhawks and proceeded to retire 14 consecutive batters from the second to the seventh inning.
- She took a no-hit bit into the seventh, before having it end on the solo homer.
- The junior ended the contest with nine strikeouts (Four called strikeouts), allowed just two hits and one earned run.
Inside the Box Score
- Hawkins also led the Wolfpack offensively against Kansas with another 2-for-3 outing to finish the day 4-for-6 with two RBI and a stolen base.
- Balzer, Burroughs, Ross and Van Dyken had one hit apiece in the contest.
- NC State held Kansas without a hit with runners on base and the Jayhawks did not have their leadoff batter reach in any inning.
On Deck
NC State returns to the field Saturday at 3 p.m. to take on UNCG and concludes the day with a 5:30 p.m. tilt against host Jacksonville.
#STATEment
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mirabella, Courtney (1-0)
L: DOMINIK, Kelsey (0-1)
Batting:
HR: DOMINIK, Kelsey 1
RBI: DOMINIK, Kelsey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DOMINIK, Kelsey 1
Batting:
HR: Ross, Tyler 1
RBI: Ross, Tyler 3 ; Hawkins, Maggie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Van Dyken, Lana 1 ; Ross, Tyler 1 ; Hutchison, Molly 1 ; Prickett, Macauley 1 ; Yeager, Hannah 1
SB: Hawkins, Maggie 1
HBP: Yeager, Hannah 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/UT
/ Softball
P/1B
/ SoftballUTIL
/ SoftballC/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball3B/SS
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball#BehindThe20 with former Pack Stars Abbie Sims and Renada Davis
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Softball: Players Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
Softball: Coach Leftwich Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
EmpowHER with Aisha Weixlmann #Shorts #NCState #GoPack
Monday, October 16