Wolfpack's Season Ends With Heartbreaking Loss in Extra Innings

Saturday, May 20

Baton Rouge, La. (NCAA Tournament)

8:00 PM

NC State

50-21

Louisiana-Lafayette

50-11

NC State

Louisiana-Lafayette

Wolfpack's Season Ends With Heartbreaking Loss in Extra Innings

5/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

May 21, 2006

Box Score

NC State lost for the first time all season when leading after five innings, as No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette rallied for a 4-3 win in nine innings. The loss eliminated the Wolfpack (50-21) from the NCAA Regional semifinals as the Ragin' Cajuns (50-11) tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, then plated the winning run in the ninth to prevail. Jen Chamberlin went 2-for-3 with two doubles and the go-ahead RBI in the fifth and Allison Cuculich tied the game in the fourth with a two-run pinch hit single.

Heather Gelbard started the game with a hard single into centerfield, but pinch runner Ashleigh Davis was doubled off of first when Shanna Smith popped out on a bunt attempt. Jen Chamberlin walked, but Miranda Ervin fouled out behind the plate for the final out of the inning.

The Ragin' Cajuns put runners on in the bottom half of the first on one out, back-to-back singles from Gomez and Bertucci, but Sims retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.

Sims retired five straight batters before Karli Hubbard walked to start the third inning and Brittany Bryant and Danyele Gomez hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. Shaina Ervin came in to pitch in relief as Sims moved to right field to remain in the batting lineup. Bertucci hit a shot to Chamberlin at third off of Ervin, but Chamberlin's throw home hit the runner in the back for an error to allow a pair of Ragin' Cajuns to score. Ervin induced a 1-3-4 double play to end the inning without any further damage.

For the third time in the first four innings, NC State started off an inning with a base hit as Chamberlin doubled to right centerfield, her seventh of the year. Miranda Ervin battled to a full count off of Kirchberg before she popped up to short for the first out. Sims laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Chamberlin to third and Dalthorp drew a two-out walk to put runners on the corners. Jennifer Patterson pinch hit for Nentwig and drew a walk on a full count to load the bases, Allison Cuculich came to the plate and hit a pinch-hit two-run single to tie the score as Chamberlin and Dalthorp scored.

Once again, NC State had its leadoff hitter reach on a hit for the fourth time, with Heather Gelbard hitting her second single of the game to start the fifth. Smith worked the count full before flying out to the warning track to bring up Chamberlin. Chamberlin hit her second double of the contest into right centerfield, and Gelbard scored from first for a 3-2 Wolfpack lead. Sims drew a two-out walk to bring up Dalthorp, who popped up to end the inning.

Shaina Ervin struck out the side in the fifth to hold the Cajuns at bay, and the Wolfpack's Tess Corona reached on an error with one out. Blair Harkey lined out to second base to bring Gelbard up, but the junior hit a fly ball to center to end the inning.

Shaina Ervin retired eight straight batters and didn't allow a hit in the first three innings she pitched before Bertucci blooped a single into centerfield to start the sixth. Ervin then fanned Ashley Evans and induced a pair of fielder's choices to end the inning.

Ervin surrendered her first earned run in her last 27 innings pitched as Codi Runyan homered to left field to tie the score at three apiece to lead off the seventh. Ervin retired the final three batters to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.

Sims singled to start the eighth, but was stranded as the 6-7-8 batters were put down in order.

Megan Dalthorp moved from left to pitcher in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Gomez and fanned Bertucci for the first out. Evans grounded into a fielder's choice with Evans out at second for the second out, and Holly Tankersly grounded out to Corona at second for the final out of the inning.

Tara Hamilton singled up the middle in the ninth to start the inning and Runyan walked to put two on. Jessica Lemoine doubled into right center field past a diving Harkey as Hamilton scored the walkoff run in the ninth off of Dalthorp (7-4).

Chamberlin finished with 41 RBIs on the season to tie her career high and her eight doubles also tied a career mark.

Sims started and went two innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out two. Shaina Ervin went five innings and allowed just two hits, including the solo home run in the seventh. Dalthorp pitched an inning and allowed three hits, a walk, and one run while fanning a batter.