North Carolina State University Athletics
NCSU Softball Travels to North Carolina
4/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 26, 2006
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Wolfpack Travels to Chapel Hill for Pivotal Series
NC State softball (42-18, 12-6 ACC) travels to Chapel Hill, N.C. to conclude the regular season with a pivotal matchup with the 22/20North Carolina Tar Heels (46-13, 13-5 ACC). The Tar Heels currently hold a one game advantage over the Wolfpack for the regular season Atlantic Coast Conference championship. NC State is second in the conference with 42 wins while North Carolina is first in that category overall.
Look Closer ...
22/20North Carolina • 46-13 Overall • 13-5 ACC (1st)
Apr. 27 (DH - 5 & 7 p.m.) • Apr. 28 (7 p.m.)
NC State leads the all-time series 4-2, taking three-of-four in 2005 including a 2-0 win in the ACC Tournament ... The teams are tied 1-1 in Chapel Hill after a split in 2004 ... The series is the one year anniversary to the day that the two squads played in 2005 ... Abbie Sims is 4-0 lifetime against the Tar Heels including a game winning grand slam in the sixth in 2005.
Wolfpack Takes Series From Virginia
NC State won two-of-three from Virginia over the weekend with a brilliant pitching performance from Abbie Sims in the opener and seven runs in the second game. Sims tossed a three-hit shutout, her second in conference which ranks third in ACC games only. She fanned eight and walked one Cavalier in the 4-0 decision.
In game two, NC State built leads of 5-0 and 7-2 thanks in part to Sims' two doubles and two RBIs and a two-run single from Heather Gelbard. Shaina Ervin pitched 5.1 innings and allowed a pair of runs to improve to 8-0 in ACC games, tops in the league.
Series-ous Winning In ACC
The Wolfpack softball team has won five of its six conference three-game series including a sweep of Boston College to start league play. NC State then lost two, one-run decisions to Angela Tincher of Virginia Tech to drop the second series of the season. After winning the first and third games of back-to-back series against Maryland and Georgia Tech, the Wolfpack took the first two against both Florida State and Virginia to post a 12-6 conference mark.
The first four ACC losses were each one-run decisions, followed by a 2-0 loss to FSU and the 5-2 loss to UVa.
Pack Power Rangers
The Wolfpack softball team has relied on its power in 2006, setting a school record in home runs with 46, tying the school mark with six triples and smacking 52 doubles in 60 games. The 104 extra base hits is the second highest total in the three seasons behind the 114 in 2005, and that team posted those totals in 66 games.
RPI Ranks Wolfpack 28th
NC State is ranked 28th in the most recent Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) for NCAA softball. Ranked fourth among ACC teams, the Wolfpack has nine wins against the RPI top-50, the third-most among all conference teams. NC State's schedule is ranked 43rd toughest nationally.
Wins Rank Fourth In NCAA
NC State's 42 wins is a new school record and it ranks as one of the top marks nationally. The 42 wins is fourth in the NCAA behind nationally ranked North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. The Wolfpack's .700 winning percentage ranks 28th in the NCAA.
NC State Is ACC's Top Defense
As a team, NC State leads the ACC in defense overall and in conference games only. In its 18 ACC contests, the Wolfpack has committed just 12 errors for a .978 fielding percentage and has turned seven double plays, third in the conference. The catchers have been doing their job as well behind the plate, allowing only eight steals in 18 attempts, the second best mark in the league in conference games.
In all games this season, NC State has a .972 fielding percentage, a mark which would rank as a school record if the season ended today. The catchers have thrown out 23 of the 58 (.396) would be base stealers, the best percentage in the league.
Holding Leads...
The 2006 Wolfpack squad is especially good at holding leads, and is 35-3 when scoring first this season. The Wolfpack is 16-2 when holding the lead after the first stanza, 20-1 after two, 29-2 after three and 31-1 after four. NC State is 30-0 when leading after five innings and 32-0 when up after six.
On the flip side, NC State is 1-8 when trailing after two, 3-9 after three, 4-12 after four, 3-13 after five and a paltry 1-15 when trailing after six innings.
...And Scoring Runs
When the team has scored three or more runs it has posted a record of 35-3 this season and is 33-7 when holding its opponent to two or fewer runs.
Shutting The Door
The pitching staff has done its job this season, shutting out 17 opponents, a mark that is a school record at NC State. The team notched 10 in 2004 and 16 last year. Abbie Sims has eight shutouts and combined for two more, Shaina Ervin has five individual shutouts and two combined, while Megan Dalthorp has one shutout and two combined shutouts.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Wolfpack has been shut out 10 times and has scored just 17 runs in its 18 losses.
Chamberlin Packs a Powerful Punch
Junior slugger Jen Chamberlin has 34 career home runs, tied for third all-time in the ACC and tied for first among active players in the league. The junior is just 12dingers away from tying the ACC record of 46.
Chamberlin's 11 home runs this season rank second in the league and are first on the team, and her eight home runs against ACC teams is first in the conference.
She has hit 10 or more home runs in each of her first three seasons and could become the first player in ACC history to get double digit dingers in each of her four seasons.
Abbie Sims in ACC & NCAA Record Books
Abbie Sims has posted some impressive numbers so far in her career, but her strikeout numbers could be considered staggering. Her 771 career strikeouts rank seventh all-time in the ACC and has had over 240 in each of her first three seasons. At her current pace of around 257 K's a season, she could finish her career with over a 1,000. Only three other ACC pitchers have topped the 1,000 strikeout mark.
Even more impressive is her standing in the NCAA record books. Sims has fanned an average of 9.4 batters per seven innings pitched (a complete game in softball), a mark that ranks 19th all-time in NCAA history. She is currently sixth among active pitchers, trailing four all-Americans - Cat Osterman (Texas), Monica Abbott (Tenn.); Alicia Hollowell (Arizona); and Jennie Ritter (Mich.) and Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.
Sims is third all-time among ACC pitchers on the list behind former Georgia Tech All-American, Jessica Sallinger, the ACC career leader in total strikeouts (1,398), and Tincher.
Shaina Ervin Perfect In The ACC
Shaina Ervin has put up impressive numbers against ACC foes. She has posted a perfect 8-0 record with a 1.99 ERA while striking out 4.4 batters per walk. Opponents are hitting just .225 against Ervin and she has one ACC shutout to her name and combined with Abbie Sims on another.
Sims On A Tear Offensively
Abbie Sims has been the Wolfpack's hottest hitter over the last 10 games as well as over the last 20 contests. Over the last 10, Sims is hitting .355 (second on the team) with 11 hits and two doubles (both tied for first) while leading the team with four home runs and 10 RBIs. She is slugging a team-best .800 over the last 10 games as NC State has posted a 7-3 record.
Over the last 20, she is hitting .351 and leads the team in hits (20), home runs (6), RBIs (15), slugging (.702) and on-base percentage (.393). NC State is 14-6 in those 20 contests.
Shanna Smith Steals
Shortstop Shanna Smith is proving to be quite the thief. She is the school record holder in career steals (34) and percentage (.850) - and she is only in her sophomore year.
Smith stole nine bases in 10 attempts in 2005, setting the single season Wolfpack record for steals and stolen base percentage (.900). She is now 25-30 this season, smashing her total from last season through 60 games.
Smith's 25 steals in 2006 rank second in the conference. Smith uses her speed when she puts the ball in play as well, racking of three triples (fourth in the ACC), eight doubles (second on the team) and scoring the fifth most runs (46) in the conference and ranking fifth with .77 runs scored per game.
Shaina Ervin Named ACC Player of the Week (4/3/06)
After an outstanding week for junior pitcher Shaina Ervin, she was honored with her first ever ACC Player of the Week selection. Ervin went 3-0 during the week with two wins over Maryland and a win over Kent State. She posted two shutouts and a 0.37 ERA, striking out 17 while walking just two batters. Despite allowing a home run in the top of the seventh of game one to Maryland, her first run allowed in 26 straight innings pitched, Ervin was almost unhittable as her .143 opponents batting average suggests. She tossed a one-hit shutout (infield single) against Kent State on 3/28 and had won eight straight decisions.
Navas' 600, 400, 100
Another coaching milestone for Lisa Navas. NC State and Navas have won 100 games in the program's first three seasons after a sweep of East Carolina on 3/22/06. The Wolfpack head coach has led a team in 600 career games after the win against Minnesota on Feb. 12 in Auburn, Ala. She won her 400th game last season at Virginia Tech, and currently holds a career record of 450-204-1 (.688).
Gelbard Doubles Up
Heather Gelbard is a professional hitter, but she excels in the classroom as well. The junior has started 182 games (most on the team) and has played in 183, posting the most career hits (184) and doubles (30) and ranking second in batting average (.307) on the team.
In the classroom Gelbard is equally talented. She became the first All-American in softball at NC State as a third-team ESPN The Magazine CoSida Academic All-American. In addition, Gelbard was named to the ACC Honor Roll in back-to-back seasons. For her play on the field, Gelbard was honored as a second team all-ACC pick in 2005.
NCAA Bound?
NC State missed out on the NCAA Championships last season, despite an impressive showing against postseason bound clubs. The Wolfpack posted a 13-11 mark against teams that eventually made it to the postseason, including a 7-6 mark against ACC teams that made the tournament.
The 2006 Wolfpack softball team upped the toughness of this season's schedule as it aims for its first NCAA appearance. The 2006 schedule features games against 12 teams that made the NCAA Championships last season, including Women's College World Series participants No. 1/1 Arizona and No. 3/3 Tennessee.
NC State has two wins against top-25 teams, beating No. 23 Virginia Tech and No. 18 Missouri. Overall, the Wolfpack has faced five ranked teams, posting a 2-3 mark.
The Wolfpack also is 11-10 against teams ranked in the RPI top-50.
Navas in NCAA Record Book
Lisa Navas has been a standout leader over her 11 years as a head coach, and her position in the NCAA record books backs this claim heading into the season. For coaches with fewer than five years at the Division 1 level, Navas ranks first in terms of winning percentage with a .687 mark. She ranks second among coaches who meet that same criteria over a ten-year period. If her winning percentage holds over the next two seasons at the Division 1 level, Navas could rank somewhere in the top-20 for active coaches.
Back-to-Back-to-Back Bombs
Maybe we should have seen it coming, only no one could remember ever seeing such a feat before. The team hit back-to-back-to-back dingers against Tennessee Tech Saturday night at the Worth Wildcat. After losing a tough game to 3/3Arizona, NC State needed to rebound against Tech, and it's safe to say that happened in a big way.
Jen Chamberlin, Jennifer Patterson and Shaina Ervin each hit home runs for the historic program first.
Before this game, NC State had hit back-to-back home runs in three games; twice in 2004 (Shaina Ervin and Allison Cuculich, Caroline Blount and Heather Jedrey) and once in 2005 (Miranda Ervin and Allison Cuculich. Miranda Ervin and Abbie Sims hit back-to-back dingers against Georgia Tech on Apr. 8, 2006.
Everything Coming Up Fives
Four NC?State players enjoyed the number five during the 2005 season, as Abbie Sims, Heather Gelbard, Jennifer Patterson and Miranda Ervin each had five RBIs in a game, a school record.
Gelbard was the first to pull it off, going 5-for-5 with a grand slam and five RBIs against Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 6.
Patterson followed, hitting a school record three doubles and collecting five RBIs in a 10-0 win over Rutgers on Feb. 20.
Not to be out done, Sims hit her own grand slam and drove in five runs in an 11-2 win over Delaware St. on Feb. 26.
Ervin was the most recent to get five RBIs, hitting a three-run blast in the first inning against Virginia Tech on Apr. 17 and a two-run home run in the fourth. She became the first player to have five RBIs in a game twice, collecting five in the first game of the UMass doubleheader on Apr. 20. after a three-run double and a two-run home run.
