Softball Rallies Past Chattanooga, 6-3

Saturday, February 17

Gainesville, Fla.

6:15 PM

NC State

6-2

Chattanooga

1-3

Chattanooga

NC State

2/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, FLA. – No. 24 NC State used a four-run sixth inning to rally past Chattanooga, 6-3, on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Cox Communications Classic in Gainesville, N.C. The win, the Pack’s second of the day, moves the red and white into Sunday’s championship game at 1:30 p.m. NC State will take on the winner of the Marshall/Florida showdown, which will be played at 11:15 a.m.

Chattanooga’s Alyssa Edwards led off the bottom of the second with a single, before getting pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt from Tara Tembey. Tia Blosser then walked and Brittany Eason hit a two-run double to put the Mocs on the board, 2-0.

The Pack finally drew blood in the bottom of the fourth, as Abbie Sims singled to right with two outs. Shanna Smith then drilled an Ashley Frizzell pitch to right field, which hit the bottom of the wall and scored Sims as she wound up with a triple.

Laura Klem hit a routine grounder to second in the bottom of the fifth, but Brittney Whittier’s throw sailed into the dugout, allowing Klem to reach second. Heather Gelbard capitalized on the miscue, chopping a double down the left field line and sending Klem in to tie the game.

The Pack immediately got to work in the bottom of the sixth as Miranda Ervin led off with a line drive single to right-center and was replaced on the basepath by Krystal Hawkins. Sims then sent a shot into right for a base hit, moving Hawkins to third, before stealing second. With two outs, Dalthrop sent a grounder to short and beat it out for a single, scoring Hawkins and sending Sims to third. Klem followed with another grounder to second, which was misplayed by Whittier, sending Dalthorp to second and scoring Sims. Tembey misplayed a Gelbard grounder at short in the following at-bat, advancing all runners one bag. Harkey kept the offense rolling, nailing a single to left and advancing to second on the throw as both Dalthorp and Klem trotted in to put NC State up 6-2.

Chattanooga added a run in the top of the seventh, but the Pack’s lead was too much to overcome.