Gelbard's Walkoff Homer Pushes Pack Past Virginia

Sunday, March 27

Raleigh, N.C.

1:00 PM

NC State

29-17, 2-3

Virginia

12-16, 2-1

Virginia

NC State

Gelbard's Walkoff Homer Pushes Pack Past Virginia

3/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 27, 2005

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State (29-17, 2-3 ACC) waited patiently for a scoring opportunity against Virginia's Coty Tolar, after having a perfect game thrown against the Wolfpack after 5 and 2/3 innings. Clutch hitting and a strong relief appearance from Abbie Sims (12-7) pushed NC State past Virginia, 5-3, in the final game of a three-game ACC series. Tolar allowed two-runs in the sixth before Erin Horn (3-4) allowed a Heather Gelbard home run in the bottom of the seventh for the winning runs. Gelbard broke up the no-hitter in the sixth, then hit the game winning, three-run blast with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Virginia (12-17, 2-1 ACC). Sims pitched the last two innings in relief to pick up her 11th win of the season by striking out two and allowing just one hit and a walk.

Miranda Ervin drew a walk to start the seventh for NC State, and after two outs were recorded, Jennifer Patterson hit a pinch hit single to left field to put runners on first and second. Beth Poore pinch ran for Ervin, and Blair Harkey reentered the game to run for Patterson. Gelbard hit the 3-1 offering from Horn over the centerfield fence for the game winning home run.

In the final game of a three-game set, NC State's Brooke Isley started in the circle and had a solid outing. She scattered two hits over the first two innings, and allowed a one-out double on a 2-2 pitch to Jessica Taylor in the third. With two outs, Jenn Wynn hit a single through the left side to plate Taylor for a 1-0 Cavaliers lead. Isley finished with nine hits, three runs allowed, two strikeouts and no walks in five innings of work.

UVa. pushed the lead to 3-0 on a two-out, two-run home run by Kierstie Cameron in the fifth inning off of Isley.

The sixth inning saw a home rally with two outs in the sixth behind clutch hitting from the top of the Wolfpack order, and the speed of NC State. With two down, Blair Harkey slapped a ball to the third baseman that was bobbled, allowing Harkey to reach on the error and break up the perfect game from Coty Tolar. Heather Gelbard followed with a single up the middle to move Harkey to third and scratch the no-hitter. Ashleigh Davis pinch run for Gelbard to bring up Shanna Smith, the Wolfpack shortstop.

Smith hit a hard RBI single up the middle to score Harkey from second to trim the lead to 3-1 and erase the shutout. Abbie Sims, who came in to pitch in the top of the sixth inning for the Wolfpack, singled to right center to score the speedy Davis from second to cut the Virginia advantage to 3-2.

Jen Chamberlin drew a walk to load the bases for Shaina Ervin, but Ervin popped foul near the fence to third for the final out of the inning.

A single, stolen base, a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh for Virginia, but Sims struck out Amber McKean to end the inning and set the stage in the bottom of the seventh for the dramatic finish.