Softball Too Much for UC Santa Barbara, 3-0

Saturday, March 1

Columbus, Ga.

11:00 AM

NC State

9-9

UC Santa Barbara

8-9

NC State

UC Santa Barbara

3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ga. Mendy McKenzie (6-2) tossed seven shutout innings and Allison Presnell had two hits and an RBI to lead NC State past UC Santa Barbara, 3-0, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, March 1. The win moves the Pack to 9-9 on the year, while the Gauchos fall to 8-9.

Tami Weston (3-1) suffered her first defeat from the circle for UCSB on the year.

Shanna Smith had a busy bottom of the first, fielding three straight grounders and tossing the ball to Lisa Nentwig at first to sit the Gauchos down in order.

State scored the first two runs of the game before UCSB could record an out in the top of the second. Lacey Holm moved to second on a deep fly to right that was dropped by Katie McWhirter, and Alyssa Ishibashi followed with a bloop single into shallow left.

Eliza Jacobellis then came on to run for Ishibashi, and the Pack pulled off a run-scoring double steal. Jacobellis swiped second and advanced to third as Holm scored. Presnell then knocked in Jacobellis with an RBI single up the middle.

Allbritten mashed her second tater in as many days on a 3-2 pitch in the top of the third, sending a solo shot beyond the yard in right-center to put State up 3-0.

The Gauchos got its first base runner in the bottom of the third when McKenzie issued a one-out walk to Jessica Beristianos. But Nicole Churnock and Christine Ramos sent back-to-back liners to Smith at short, and no harm was done.

UCSB had the bases juiced with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, but State clamped down and worked its way out of trouble. Jessica Ziegler picked up the Gaucho’s first hit with a drop bunt to start things off. Ziegler then swiped second, McWhirter singled into left, and Tisha Duran walked to load the bags with no outs. But Tiffany Wright lined out to short, McKenzie fanned Mary Episcopo, and Blair Harkey reeled in a deep fly to center from Kelsey Anderson and the Pack worked its way out of a colossal jam.

McKenzie and the Pack avoided potential danger again in the bottom of the sixth. Ziegler walked, moved to second on a McWhirter groundout, and took third on a passed ball. Duran then picked up a free pass, putting runners on the corners with one out. But Holm gunned down Duran’s attempt to steal second, and Wright flew out to Kristine Bechtholdt in deep left.

State will stay on the field to take on No. 11 Michigan at 1:30 p.m.