NC State Softball Tops Hofstra, 4-2

Thursday, March 9

Clearwater, Fla. (USF adidas Invitational)

4:00 PM

NC State

17-9

Hofstra

6-6

NC State

Hofstra

3/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 9, 2006

Box Score

Megan Dalthorp went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI, and Abbie Sims (10-4) struck out eight as NC State (17-9) downed Hofstra, 4-2. The Pride (6-6) was held to four hits, all singles, and scored two unearned runs in the loss. NC State improved to 1-1 in the USF adidas Invitational and will play Buffalo (4 p.m.) and Illinois-Chicago (6 p.m.) Friday, Mar. 10 in Clearwater, Fla.

NC State took an early lead with a run in each of the first two innings. In the first, Heather Gelbard was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and was out at second on a fielder's choice by Shanna Smith. Smith moved to second when Miranda Ervin walked, and Beth Poore came in to run. Jen Chamberlin reached on a fielder's choice of her own, and Poore took out the second baseman with a hard slide to allow Smith to come around and score the game's first run.

The lead moved to 2-0 after a leadoff double to left center from Megan Dalthorp got things rolling. Lisa Nentwig walked and Sims struckout for the first out of the second inning. Ashleigh Davis grounded out to first, unassisted, and the Pride tried to catch Nentwig in a rundown. Meanwhile, Dalthorp had advanced to third and scored before Nentwig was tagged out in the rundown.

The Pride tied the score in the bottom half of the fifth with two runs, both unearned. Carolann Lubach reached on a single and moved to second on a walk by Ashley Lane. Tara Ulrich reached on an error with Lubach scoring on the play. Lane came around to score on a groundout to knot things up at 2-2.

Thanks to a Jennifer Patterson pinch-hit, sacrifice fly, NC State regained the lead with one run in the top of the sixth. Dalthorp reached on a fielder's choice, Nentwig reached on an error and Sims loaded the bases by drawing a walk. Patterson hit a fly ball into left to score Dalthorp for the go ahead run, 3-2.

Dalthorp had a big hand in an insurance run in the seventh, hitting an RBI single with two outs to drive in Smith from second for a 4-2 Wolfpack lead.

Sims struckout three of the last seven batters to close out the sixth and seventh innings.