Mistakes Costly in Softball Loss at UVa

Sunday, March 30

Charlottesville, Va.

12:00 PM

NC State

19-18, 3-6

Virginia

11-23, 4-5

NC State

Virginia

3/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Despite belting four home runs and pounding out 10 hits, NC State shot itself in the foot with defensive woes in an 8-7 loss at Virginia on Sunday, March 30. Alyssa Allbritten went 3-for-4 with two long balls, three RBIs and two runs scored, while Shanna Smith went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

The defeat puts the Pack at 19-18 (3-6 ACC) on the season, while the Cavaliers improve to 11-23 (4-5 ACC).

Mendy McKenzie (9-5) suffered the loss, allowing just one earned run in 4.1 innings of work while picking up three strikeouts and issuing one walk. Lindsay Campana started the game in the circle but was lifted after two innings, allowing two earned runs and six hits.

McKenzie and Campana allowed three earned runs combined, but a school-record seven errors put Virginia back in the game and ultimately resulted in the Pack’s collapse.

“There are three facets to the game, and it’s sad that we have only been able to show up for one part each time we play,” said head coach Lisa Navas. “Hitting, fielding and pitching. We have got to find a way to put all three together.”

Whitney Hulston (3-7) got the win in relief for the Cavaliers, tossing 2.2 innings and limiting State to three hits. Karla Wilburn took the start for UVa, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing seven hits and six earned runs.

Virginia got its first unearned run on a two-out single up the middle from Lindsey Preuss in the bottom of the first.

UVa added two more runs in the bottom of the second, but it could’ve been much worse. The Cavaliers loaded the bases on two separate occasions, with Synder scoring on a wild pitch and Carly Winger later pushing through an RBI single.

Virginia’s scoring must’ve lit a fire in the Wolfpack offense, as State’s bats exploded for four hits and four runs in the top of the third. Alyssa Ishibashi and Ashleigh Davis got things started with back-to-back base hits, and Smith knotted the score at 3-all with her second bomb of the weekend. Two batters later, Allbritten put the Pack up with a solo shot beyond the fence in left-center.

McKenzie relieved Campana in the circle for the Wolfpack at the onset of the bottom of the third. The Cavaliers loaded the bases, but Winger flew out to Davis in left on a 3-2 count to end the inning.

Allbritten went yard again in the top of the fifth, mailing a two-run homer out of the park in dead center. Her shot knocked Wilburn out of the game, as UVa optioned for Holstun in the circle.

Kristine Bechtholdt joined in on the fireworks display by driving the first pitch of the top of the sixth out of the stadium in right.

Virginia cut out a big chunk out of the Pack’s lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kelly Haller sent a sac-fly into right, and Allison Pittman scored unearned on a dropped fly in right. Lauren McCaskey then doubled to left, bringing in Preuss to shrink the red and white’s lead to 7-6.

Three incredibly costly errors aided UVa in the bottom of the seventh. Sarah Tacke and Meghan O’Leary placed back-to-back one-out base hits, and both runners advanced to second and third on a throwing error. Pittman followed with a grounder towards first, but the ball was bobbled and a poor throw followed, allowing two runs to score and lock up a head scratching win for the Cavaliers.

State will resume play with a doubleheader this coming Thursday, April 3, at Elon.