Maryland Ends Wolfpack's ACC Championship Run in Extra Innings

Friday, May 13

College Park, Md.

7:30 PM

NC State

41-25

Maryland - ACC Championship

28-20

Maryland

NC State

Maryland Ends Wolfpack's ACC Championship Run in Extra Innings

5/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

May 14, 2005

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - NC State's second season ended in heartbreak, as the Maryland Terrapins eliminated the Wolfpack with a two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth inning in College Park, Md. at the 2005 ACC Championship. The 3-2 loss leaves the Pack with a 41-25 record, while the Terps improved to 28-20. NC State defeated North Carolina 2-0 and lost to Georgia Tech by the same score before the Terps eliminated the Pack on day two. Shaina Ervin (12-15) took the loss despite allowing just one hit and recording five strikeouts over 3.2 innings of relief work. Sims started and went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, five walks and she struck out four in the no decision.

"I am very proud of this years team," head coach Lisa Navas said. "We battled hard but just fell short. It hurts, but I'm glad I have this team back next year."

Sims took some time to warm up in the first inning, walking Maryland's leadoff batter, Nneka Cardoza, on four straight pitches. Crystal Tweedy reached on a fielder's choice with Cardoza beating Jen Chamberlin's throw to second. Lindsay Klein then drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Sims settled down getting a popout to Tess Corona at second, then struckout Nikki Smith and Crystal Rizzuto looking to end the threat.

NC State responded in the bottom of the first by loading the bases with two outs. Jess Aditays walked Miranda Ervin, Jen Chamberlin and Abbie Sims, but Tess Corona struckout on a checked swing to end the inning with no Wolfpack runs crossing the plate.

Maryland's Crystal Tweedy secured the first hit of the game on a bunt single to third in third inning on a miscue by the Wolfpack defense. Tweedy moved to second on a wild pitch, Klein answered with a RBI single up the middle, with Ervin's tag failing to reach the hook slide of Tweedy for a 1-0 Terrapin lead. Sims induced two flyouts to end the inning with no further damage.

The Wolfpack batters responded in the bottom of the inning, getting three hits and the tying run. Heather Gelbard singled up the middle to start the inning, then moved to second as Shanna Smith reached on an infield single. Ervin lined out to right and Chamberlin struckout to bring up Sims with two outs.

Lee Hasper came in to run for Gelbard at second, and would score on a RBI single from Sims for the tying run. Sims' single sliced past the shortstop as Hasper rounded third and scored, with Smith moving from first to third on a bobble by the centerfielder. Corona grounded out to end the inning with the score knotted at one apiece.

In the fourth, Maryland again put runners on against Sims, getting a walk before Pollock reached on a fielder's choice with both runners safe on the play. Cardoza drew a two-out walk to fill the bases with Terrapins, and Tweedy singled to center to put the Terrapins up 2-1. On the play, Pollock was chased down in a rundown and was out 8-2-6-2 at home.

Harkey reached on an error in the bottom of the fourth and stole second, but Gelbard grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

Klein led off with a single to start the fifth, and Keri Lounge flied out for the Terps. Nikki Smith drew a walk off of Sims, and she was replaced in the circle by Shaina Ervin with a 1-1 count on Crystal Rizzuto. Rizzuto drew a walk on a full count to load the bases, and Pollock grounded into a fielder's choice with Smith throwing home to get the lead runner at the plate. With two down, Shaina Ervin struck out Natalie Grossman to end the inning and keep it a one-run ballgame.

Miranda Ervin drew a one-out walk in the fifth, and pinch runner Beth Poore came in to run for Ervin. Chamberlin hit a laser to left on a 1-1 pitch that fell in front of the left fielder for a single, but the ball got past Tweedy for a run scoring error, as Poore scored from first and Chamberlin moved to second on the play. Shaina Ervin struck out after working the count full, and Allison Cuculich came in to pinch hit for Corona. Cuculich drew a walk, but Ashleigh Davis flew out to left to end the inning in a 2-2 tie.

In the bottom of the sixth, the top of the Wolfpack order produced a spark with two, two-out base hits. Gelbard singled up the middle for her second hit of the game, and Smith followed with a seeing-eye single through the left side for her second hit as well. Miranda Ervin flied out to deep centerfield to end the inning and move the contest to the seventh.

Maryland put two on with one out in the seventh on back-to-back walks before Crystal Rizzuto hit into a fielder's choice to short with the runner out at second. With runners on the corners and two outs, Shaina Ervin struck out Pollock to end the inning.

The Terrapins took the 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Tweedy after a hit batter and stolen base put a runner in scoring position. Ervin struck out Klein to end the inning.

NC State sent the 8-9-1 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth against relief pitcher Crystal Crews, who came in to pitch with two outs in the fifth. Reneé LaCroix hit a ball to right, but the right fielder charged the play and threw LaCroix out at first for the first out of the inning. Harkey was called out looking for the second out to bring up the top of the order and Gelbard for NC State. Crews got Gelbard to pop out to first to end the game as Maryland won the contest to advance in the ACC Championship.