Wolfpack Offense Explodes in Game One Win at Virginia Tech

Saturday, April 16

Blacksburg, Va.

12:00 PM

NC State

32-22, 3-6

Virginia Tech (DH1)

33-14, 2-8

NC State

Virginia Tech

Wolfpack Offense Explodes in Game One Win at Virginia Tech

4/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

April 16, 2005

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. - NC State's offense jumped on the Hokies in game one of an ACC doubleheader, as the 1-2-3-4 hitters combined for an 8-for-15 day with eight RBIs in the 9-3 win over Virginia Tech. The Wolfpack (32-22, 3-6 ACC) set team ACC records for runs and hits (13) in the win, and Abbie Sims effectively shut down the Hokies to improve to 14-7 on the season. Jen Chamberlin went 3-for-3 with her ninth home run of the season and three RBIs, and Sims helped her own cause with four RBIs of her own.

Sims' final line showed nine strikeouts and five hits allowed, with two earned runs and four walks allowed.

Offensively, every Wolfpack player collected at least one base hit, including three doubles and a home run, while the 13 team hits is the fourth highest total this season

Sims was dominant in the first inning, striking out the side to start the game. After a leadoff walk in the second inning to the Hokies' leading hitter, Megan Evans, Sims induced a 6-4-3 double play as Shanna Smith fielded and turned to Tess Corona for the force at second, as she turned to get Stephanie Sarve at first. With two down, Sims hit a batter and walked another to put two on, but got Kelsey Hoffman swinging to end the inning.

Virginia Tech finally got to Sims in the third, scoring a run on a RBI single up the middle by Alisia Nardowski. After a lead off walk, Kelly Brown sacrificed the runner to second before the two out single from Nardowski gave the Hokies a short lived 1-0 lead.

Sims and the Wolfpack answered, as she started the fourth with a lead off walk on four pitches. Chamberlin put NC State on top with a two-run blast to right centerfield off of Katie Maynard. It was Chamberlin's ninth of the year and first in the last 13 games.

The Wolfpack lead would move to 3-1 in the top half of the fifth, courtesy of a two-out double from Smith to the left field wall. Sims followed with a hard chopper to second that cleared the second baseman, Caitlin Murphy, for a RBI single. Smith leads the Pack in batting in ACC play, hitting over .400 in nine conference games thus far.

The contest narrowed to a one-run game in the bottom of the fifth, as Caroline Stolle homered to left field to start the fifth to make it a 3-2 game.

NC State answered once again in the sixth in a big way, getting five runs on five hits in the inning to break the game open. Lisa Nentwig reached on bunt single, and LaCroix reached on a fielder's choice with Nentwig safe at second. Blair Harkey slapped a hard single up the middle for her first career RBI, with LaCroix advancing to third and Harkey to second on the throw home as Nentwig scored. Heather Gelbard walked and Smith reached on a fielder's choice with LaCroix out at home on the play.

With two down and NC State leading 4-2 with the bases loaded, Sims doubled on the first pitch she saw to dead centerfield for a bases clearing hit to give NC State a 7-2 advantage. Chamberlin picked up her third RBI of the game with a single to right to plate Sims for a six run advantage.

The lead swelled to 9-2 when Heather Gelbard singled home Davis from second in the top of the seventh after Davis singled with one out. The Hokies tacked an unearned run in the ninth for the final margin.

The nine runs scored were the most runs in an ACC contest for the Wolfpack in 21 all-time games including the ACC Tournament last season.