North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
24-10, 2-0
Boston College
7-9, 0-2
Wolfpack Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Over Boston College
3/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 18, 2006
NC State softball (24-10, 2-0 ACC) swept a doubleheader from Boston College (7-9, 0-2 ACC) in the conference opener for both teams. The Wolfpack won game one in nine innings, 6-5, on the strength of three home runs, including a walk-off shot from Ashleigh Davis, her first career home run. Shaina Ervin pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts as the Wolfpack won game two, 7-1, and five Wolfpack runs in the bottom of the sixth shut the door on the Eagles.
Abbie Sims (13-5) pitched nine innings and allowed five runs on five hits and five walks while striking out two batters in game one.
The two teams traded blows in game one, with NC State striking first off of a two-run home run from Heather Gelbard in the third inning.
The Eagles clawed back in the top of the fourth to knot the score at 2-2. Ashley Obrest walked with two outs and Elena Ferraro homered to left centerfield off of Abbie Sims.
The Wolfpack retook the lead with one run on two hits in the fourth. Sims singled to left center with one out, and moved to second on the errant throw back into the infield. Caroline Blount pinch ran for Sims, and Lisa Nentwig followed with a RBI double into right center for a 3-2 lead.
Both offenses were held at bay until the seventh, as the Eagles took a 4-3 lead with a two-out rally. Ashley Pandolfo homered to centerfield and Ashley Booth followed with a walk. Kristin Allain doubled to straight away centerfield, and Booth came around to score the go-ahead run.
With one last chance left to save the game for the Wolfpack, NC State quickly found itself down to one out after Tess Corona popped up and Gelbard lined out. Shanna Smith became the game's first hero, hitting her second home run of the season to left to tie the score at 4-4.
Both teams then traded outs until the ninth when BC took a 5-4 lead on a RBI single from Pandolfo.
Not to panic in the bottom of the ninth as Nentwig reached on an error to start the inning. Davis followed with a shot to deep right center for the final 6-5 score.
Game two was controlled from the start by the pitching of Shaina Ervin and NC State took a 2-0 lead on runs in the first and fifth innings. Smith walked and stole second, her ACC-leading 19th of the season, in the first inning. Jennifer Patterson singled hard to first base and Smith came around to score for a 1-0 lead. Jen Chamberlin hit her fourth home run of the season in the fifth to add to the lead.
BC added an unearned run in the sixth to trim the lead to 2-1 before the Wolfpack added a five-spot in the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach.
Megan Dalthorp led off and singled to start a string of five-straight base hits. Sims doubled to right and Nentwig followed with a RBI single to plate Dalthorp. Shaina Ervin hit an RBI single and Miranda Ervin came in to pinch hit. She hit a three-run home run to left for the final 7-1 advantage.
The final game of the three-game set is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ervin, Shaina (5-2)
L: Savana Lloyd (3-3)
Batting:
SH: Jenna Macchi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Amanda Brooks 1
SB: Carley McNary 1
Batting:
2B: Chamberlin, Jennifer 1 ; Sims, Abbie 1
HR: Chamberlin, Jennifer 1 ; Ervin, Miranda 1
RBI: Chamberlin, Jennifer 1 ; Patterson, Jennifer 1 ; Nentwig, Lisa 1 ; Ervin, Shaina 1 ; Ervin, Miranda 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Shanna 1 ; Chamberlin, Jennifer 1 ; Dalthorp, Megan 1 ; Sims, Abbie 1 ; Nentwig, Lisa 1 ; Ervin, Shaina 1 ; Ervin, Miranda 1
SB: Smith, Shanna 1
CS: Harkey, Blair 1
