Softball Drops Heartbreaker to USF in Ninth, 4-3

Friday, March 7

Clearwater, Fla.

2:30 PM

NC State

11-12

USF

13-8

NC State

South Florida

Softball Drops Heartbreaker to USF in Ninth, 4-3

3/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. South Florida used four unanswered runs to escape an early NC State lead, 4-3, in nine innings at the USF Under Armour Invitational on Friday, March 7. Lacey Holm and Kristine Becththoldt each had two hits for the Pack, while Ashleigh Davis and Claudia Cooper picked up RBIs.

“It was very disappointing to come up on the short end of the stick,” said head coach Lisa Navas. “We keep making mistakes that end up hurting us, but the kids are playing well and improving. We’re just looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”

The loss sends State to 11-12, while the Bulls improve to 13-8.

Lindsay Campana (4-10) suffered the loss, tossing four innings and collecting five strikeouts while giving up just two hits. Mendy McKenzie started the affair, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three hits and one earned run.

Courtney Mosch (9-3) picked up the decision, allowing just one hit in four innings.

State chalked up one run early in the top of the second. Holm singled up the middle and a Capri Catalano pitch hit Allison Presnell. Bechtholdt then shot a line drive single to center to load the bags, but Davis sent a fielder’s choice to second and Holm was forced out at the plate. With Lisa Nentwig batting, a Catalano pitched sailed wide and Presnell was able to score from third.

The Pack put two more runs on the board with four hits in the top of the fourth. Bechtholdt ripped a double down the line in left, then scored when Davis followed with another double into left-center. As Bechtholdt scored, Davis was able to scamper to third due to an errant throw to the plate. Cooper then sent a pinch-hit sac-fly to right, bringing in Davis.

Mosch got the Bulls first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out single that somehow stayed fair down the left line, but Alison Savarese flew out two pitches later to close out the frame.

Kristen Gordon took control of the pitching duties for USF to start the top of the fifth, walking the second and third batters she faced. The red and white, however, was unable to capitalize and pad its lead.

The Bulls knotted the score at 3-all with three hits and a costly Wolfpack error in a wacky bottom of the fifth. Kelly McCarver and Britta Giddens placed back-to-back one-out hits, and the Pack replaced McKenzie with Campana in the circle. Kendall Arnold then singled down the line in left, bringing in one run. Kit Dunbar followed with a fielder’s choice to first, but Nentwig’s throw home was wild, allowing Giddens to score. JoJo Medina later sent a fielder’s choice back to the circle, but Tara Toscano beat Campana’s throw to the plate.

Mosch took the ball for USF to start the top of the sixth, sitting the Wolfpack down in order.

The Pack nearly mounted a run-producing two-out rally in the top of the seventh, but fell just short. Holm drew a two-out walk, and Presnell lined a single off of Savarese’s glove at third. Bechtholdt followed with a grounder to third, which Savarese bobbled, but Davis went down on strikes.

The outcome looked bleak immediately for State in the bottom of the eighth. Dunbar started on second for USF, and Medina sent a grounder to third. But Holm’s throw to first sailed high, putting runners on the corners with no outs.

But Campana and the Wolfpack defense buckled down. Cat Olnick grounded out to the circle, moving Medina to second, and Campana followed by fanning Mosch and getting Savarese to ground out to third, keeping the game alive.

The Pack’s good fortune, however, ran out in the bottom of the ninth. Lauren Rodriguez started on second, and moved to third on an Aya Nakajima groundout to third. Laura Wolf followed with a pinch-hit walk-off single into center, scoring Rodriguez and sealing USF’s 4-3 victory.

State will return to the field tomorrow, Saturday, March 8, with two games at the USF Under Armour Invitational. The Pack will take on St. Joe’s at 2:30 p.m., before facing Team USA in an exhibition game at 8:30 p.m.