NC State
4-6
Miami (Oh)
2-3
Softball Comeback Thwarted by Miami, 5-4
2/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BOCA RATON, Fla. NC State came back from a three-run deficit to forge a one run lead in the top of the seventh, but two costly Wolfpack errors in the bottom half of the inning allowed Miami to pick up a 5-4 win at the FAU “Strike-Out” Cancer Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 17.
The loss sends State to 4-6, while Miami improves to 2-3.
Alyssa Ishibashi fronted the Wolfpack offense with two hits and two RBIs. Lindsay Campana (2-4) took the loss on three earned runs, while Shalise Lugo (1-2) grabbed the win for the Redhawks.
Miami had three singles in the first inning, but the Pack escaped unscathed when Jessica Williams hit a grounder to Shanna Smith for a force out at second.
The Redhawks took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Meghan Mawn knocked a two-run triple to right field, scoring Alexis Javier and Halle Popson. Mawn later scored on an errant throw to first when Christine Bills sent a grounder to short.
State nearly manufactured a run in the top of the third. Lauren Peters beat out a grounder to short for an infield single, stole second base, and moved along to third on a groundout from Smith. But Ashleigh Davis popped up to short, and the Pack’s chance was gone.
The Wolfpack finally got on board in the top of the fourth. Allison Presnell drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a base hit to left from Claudia Cooper. A fielder’s choice from Ishibashi and another walk to Lacey Holm loaded the bases, and Presnell was able to score when Peters picked up a free pass.
State added another run in the top of the fifth. Davis reached on an infield single and moved to second on an Alyssa Allbritten sac-bunt. Following a walk to Cooper, Ishibashi lined a single into right, scoring Davis. Cooper, however, was thrown out attempting to advance to third.
With the Pack’s back against the wall, Smith led off the top of the seventh with a double to left-center and then moved to third on a grounder to second from Davis. Allbritten then brought Smith in with a fielder’s choice to second, tying the ball game.
Prensell later reached on a fielder’s choice and starting hurler Meredith Linch hit Cooper with a pitch, forcing Miami to place Lugo in the circle. Ishibashi greeted Lugo with a single to right, scoring Presnell to give the Pack it’s first lead at 4-3.
But the joy was short lived. Popson singled up the middle to start the bottom of the inning. Mawn followed with a bunt that touched her and was called out by rule, but Bills then sent a grounder to second, which Peters bobbled, putting runners on first and second with one out. Breanna Robinson then mailed a double to the gap in right-center to knot the score at 4-all, and Hogl reached on a Smith error at short to load the bases with one out. Kimberly Williams then sent a sac-fly to deep center, scoring Bills to give the Redhawks a 5-4 win.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LUGO, Shalise (1-2)
L: Campana , Lindsay (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Smith, Shanna 1
RBI: Allbritten , Alyssa 1 ; Ishibashi, Alyssa 2 ; Peters, Lauren 1
SH: Allbritten , Alyssa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Shanna 1 ; Davis, Ashleigh 1 ; Presnell, Allison 2
SB: Peters, Lauren 1
HBP: Cooper, Claudia 1
Batting:
2B: ROBINSON, Breanna 1
3B: MAWN, Meghan 1
RBI: MAWN, Meghan 2 ; ROBINSON, Breanna 1 ; WILLIAMS, Kimberly 1
SF: WILLIAMS, Kimberly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: POPSON, Halle 2 ; MAWN, Meghan 1 ; BILLS, Christine 1 ; JAVIER, Alexis 1
