North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
48-19
North Carolina
48-17
Ervin Pitches Pack Into First ACC Title Game
5/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 13, 2006
Shaina Ervin tossed a two-hit shutout and struck out ten batters in a 2-0 win as No. 23 NC State defeated No. 22 North Carolina for the second time on Saturday to earn a berth in Sunday's ACC Championship game. Shanna Smith hit a solo home run in the first and Heather Gelbard ripped a RBI double for the lone two runs for the top-seeded Wolfpack. NC State has now won six straight against the Tar Heels and improved to 8-2 all-time against North Carolina.
NC State jumped out in front of the Tar Heels in the first inning for the third time in four meetings this season. Shanna Smith hit a solo home run, her fifth of the season, to give NC State an early 1-0 lead.
The Pack put another run on the board in the third, as Lisa Nentwig beat out an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Nentwig moved to third on a Blair Harkey groundout and Heather Gelbard ripped her seventh double of the season down the left field line for a 2-0 lead.
Jennifer Jacobs broke up Shaina Ervin's no-hit bid in the fourth with a two-out double, but Ervin fanned Casey Testa on three pitches to end the inning.
Jacobs doubled again to lead off the seventh, but Ervin struck out pinch hitter Lisa Norris and induced two groundouts to end the game and propel the Wolfpack into the Championship game.
Ervin fanned 10 Tar Heels and walked two in the complete game shutout. Over that 10-inning span she has allowed just three hits while striking out 14 and walking just two.
NC State will play on Sunday, May 14 at noon against the winner of Georgia Tech and Florida State.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ervin, Shaina (18-3)
L: Crystal Cox (27-8)
Batting:
2B: Gelbard, Heather 1
HR: Smith, Shanna 1
RBI: Gelbard, Heather 1 ; Smith, Shanna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Shanna 1 ; Nentwig, Lisa 1
Batting:
2B: Jennifer Jacobs 2
SH: Ashley Oxendine 1
