Wolfpack Nudges No. 23 Hokies in Pitching Duel

Sunday, March 12

Clearwater, Fla. (USF adidas Invitational)

9:30 AM

NC State

21-10

Virginia Tech (Semifinals)

17-6

Virginia Tech

NC State

3/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 12, 2006

Wolfpack softball (21-10) advanced to the final of the Silver Bracket of the USF adidas Invitational with a 1-0 win in eight innings over No. 23 Virginia Tech (17-6). In a matchup of the top-two strikeout pitchers in the ACC, Abbie Sims (11-5) allowed five hits and two walks while striking out 12 batters in the win over Angela Tincher (9-2). Tincher struck out 17 NC State batters but allowed one hit and three walks in the loss. Ashleigh Davis scored from second with two outs in the eighth on an error for the winning run.

NC State moved a runner into scoring position in the first as Shanna Smith drew a one-out walk. Smith stole second for her 18th steal of the season before Tincher struckout Jen Chamberlin and Miranda Ervin to end the inning.

The Hokies threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs on a double, walk and hit batter. Sims beared down and struck out Jessie Everhart and induced two popups to end the inning.

The bottom half of the sixth started with Heather Gelbard drawing a leadoff walk and Blair Harkey coming in to run. Smith was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Chamberlin struckout and both runners advanced on a passed ball to put runners at second and third. Another passed ball by Kelsy Rokey had both runners on the move, but Rokey flipped the ball to Tincher to retire Harkey at home. Ervin struck out looking to end the threat.

As the game went in to international tiebreaker rules, the Hokie's runner moved to third with one out on a ground ball to first. Sims struck out the final two batters to keep the game scoreless.

In the bottom of the eighth Ashleigh Davis was placed on second to start the inning. Tess Corona struck out and Gelbard flied out to left to bring up Smith with two outs. Smith flared a ball into shallow left field and the ball went in and out of the glove of the Hokie's shortstop, Alisha Narodowski, for an error that allowed Davis to score the winning run.