NC State
14-15
Tulsa - Buzz Classic
23-12
Wolfpack Softball Sweeps Day Two at the Buzz Classic
3/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 20, 2004
ATLANTA, GA - After defeating Georgia State 2-1 earlier in the morning, the NC State softball team made their way back to the Al Bishop Softball complex to take on Tulsa.
The Wolfpack drew first blood with their first trip to the plate and never looked back. In the bottom of the first freshman Abbie Sims singled up the middle and then advanced to second on a single from freshman Miranda Ervin. The bases became loaded when freshman Jennifer Chamberlin was hit by a pitch. Freshman Shaina Ervin would then walk, driving Sims into home and giving NC State the early lead at 1-0. However, the Wolfpack were not yet finished. Freshman Allison Cuculich singled down the left field line brining in Miranda Ervin and Chamberlin to bring the score to 3-0. In the bottom of the second, junior Lee Hasper walked to start things off. Freshman Heather Gelbard then singled to the left side advancing Hasper to second. A sacrifice fly from Sims would advance both runners another base before Miranda Ervin singled to the right side to drive in Hasper and give the Wolfpack a 4-0 lead.
Tulsa refused to go down without a fight. In the fourth inning with the bases loaded, Angela Osbon walked bringing in Katie Torres to give Tulsa their first run of the game. In the top of the fifth Stacey Walkingstick would score from second off of a two out single up the middle by Stephanie Sliepen. The late rally proved to be too little too late as NC State ended up wining 4-2. The win improved the Wolfpack to 14-15 and clinched the No. 8 seed in the Buzz Classic tournament bracket. Shaina Ervin picked up her third victory of the season, accumulating nine strikeouts and giving up just three hits.
NC State then began bracket play facing No. 9 Coastal Carolina at just over 10 p.m. The game, which was called after five innings due to inclement weather, would serve as the third victory on the day for the Wolfpack. Abbie Sims was called upon to start from the circle for the second time on the day. She would round up ten strikeouts in just five innings and improve to 11-5 on the season. Sophomore Caroline Blount scored in the bottom of the second when Hasper was walked with the bases loaded. Chamberlin crushed a solo shot, her sixth home run of the year, to right center in the bottom of the second. Miranda Ervin would later score on a fly ball to right from Cuculich in the bottom of the fifth to put NC State up 3-0. The Wolfpack's third and final win of the day saw the team leave with a 15-15 record.
NC State will take on No. 1 seed Bowling Green at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ervin, Shaina (3-8)
L: Genow, Maren (9-4)
S: Carla Shepherd (1)
Batting:
RBI: Sliepen, Stephanie 1 ; Osbon, Angela 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walkingstick, Stacey 1 ; Torres, Katie 1
Batting:
RBI: Ervin, Miranda 1 ; Cuculich, Allison 2
SH: Sims, Abbie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sims, Abbie 1 ; Powell, Stacee 1 ; Chamberlin, Jennifer 1 ; Hasper, Lee 1
SB: Gelbard, Heather 1 ; LaCroix, Reneé 1
HBP: Chamberlin, Jennifer 1
