No. 24 Hokies Slide Past Softball in Eight, 2-1

Friday, March 21

Raleigh, N.C.

1:00 PM

NC State

16-14, 2-2

Virginia Tech

21-9, 3-1

Virginia Tech

NC State

3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. NC State came out on the short end of an eight-inning donnybrook against No. 24 Virginia Tech, 2-1, in the second game of a doubleheader at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Stadium on Friday, March 21. Alyssa Allbritten fronted the Wolfpack offense with three hits in front of an electric overflow crowd of 517.

Angela Tincher (14-4) picked up the win in relief, tossing the final 3.2 innings for the Hokies. Kenzie Roark opened the game for Virginia Tech, allowing no earned runs and six hits.

Mendy McKenzie (7-4) tossed all eight frames for State, striking out six.

The Pack slides to 16-15 (2-3 ACC) with the defeat, while VT climbs to 22-9 (4-1 ACC).

VT threatened in the top of the second, but State kept them off of the scoreboard. Caroline Stolle picked up a leadoff walk and took second on a sac-bunt from Misty Hall. Beth Walker followed with a base hit into left, and Whitney Davis walked to load the bases. But McKenzie caught Jenna Rhodes on strikes and Erin Ota grounded out to second.

Bridget Desbois singled on a shot to first in the bottom of the second, but State couldn’t generate anything else.

NC State took a 1-0 lead on an Allison Presnell infield single in the bottom of the third. Shanna Smith and Lauren Peters placed back-to-back base hits to start the inning, and Presnell hustled to first on an infield knock with two down. Walker made an errant throw to first, despite the fact that Presnell was clearly safe, which allowed Smith to score.

State’s lead didn’t last long however, as Misty Hall cracked a solo-shot to center to begin the fourth.

The Pack made things interesting in the bottom of the fourth, but VT held them from scoring. Desbois walked and Krystal Hawkins ran in her place at first. Blair Harkey then pushed Hawkins to second with a sac-bunt back to the circle, and Smith was intentionally walked. But Mackenzie Mangum flew out to left on a hard-hit liner to close out the frame.

Allbritten picked up a bloop single to start the bottom of the fifth. Presnell later grabbed a walk, and VT head coach Scot Thomas lifted Roark from the circle in favor of Tincher. Both runners moved to second and third on an illegal pitch, but Tincher struck out both Lacey Holm and Alyssa Ishibashi to end the inning.

Allbritten cracked a double just inside the line in left in the bottom of the seventh, but was left stranded.

VT got the run it needed in the top of the eighth to seal the deal. Hall reached and stole second, and Walker walked. Alicia Fields moved both bases runners to second and third respectively with a groundout to third. Rhodes then smoked a liner to third, which Desbois tried to trap, but Hall scored to give the Hokies the winning run at 2-1.

State and Virginia Tech will wrap up the three-game set tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, with a 12 p.m. showdown at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Stadium. Live stats will be available on GoPack.com, and ACC Select will offer a live video feed.