McKenzie's One-Hitter, Smith's Bat Trounce Cavaliers

Saturday, March 29

Charlottesville, Va.

1:00 PM

NC State

18-17, 2-5

Virginia

10-22, 3-4

NC State

Virginia

McKenzie's One-Hitter, Smith's Bat Trounce Cavaliers

3/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Mendy McKenzie was one batter away from picking up her second no-hitter in as many starts as NC State topped Virginia, 5-0, on Saturday, March 29 in the second game of a doubleheader. Sarah Tacke beat out an infield single towards first with two down in the bottom of the seventh to spoil the party.

State improves to 19-17 (3-5 ACC) with the decision, while the Cavaliers fall to 10-23 (3-5 ACC).

Tacke’s hit was the first allowed by McKenzie in 12.1 innings of work. She tossed a perfect game this past Wednesday in six innings against Winthrop in Raleigh.

McKenzie (9-4) picked up 3 K’s and issued five walks. Whitney Holstun (2-7) started in the circle for UVa and took the loss, allowing four hits and four earned runs in five innings. Allee Rife pitched the final two frames for the Cavaliers, giving up three hits and an earned run.

Shanna Smith led the way for the red and white offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored and three stolen bases.

Allison Presnell put the Pack up 1-0 in the opening inning with an RBI single up the middle to score Smith from third. Smith led the game off with a walk before swiping both second and third.

Smith moved State’s lead to 4-0 with one swing of the bat in the top of the fifth, teeing off on a Hulston pitch to straightaway center. Ashleigh Davis and Lauren Peters also singled in the inning, in addition to Smith’s fourth moon-shot of the year.

Alyssa Allbritten plated Smith with a two-out triple in the top of seventh, pushing the score to 5-0. Smith reached on a single, pilfered second and moved to third on a wild pitch before crossing the plate.

State and Virginia will close out the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. affair.