Davis? Walk Off Single Sinks Terps on Senior Day

Sunday, April 13

Raleigh, N.C.

1:00 PM

NC State

25-20, 8-7

Maryland

30-12, 5-7

Maryland

NC State

Davis? Walk Off Single Sinks Terps on Senior Day

4/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. A bases loaded two-out single from Ashleigh Davis in the bottom of the seventh capped a memorable 7-6 Senior Day win for NC State over Maryland on Sunday, April 13, at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. The Pack led 6-0 heading into the seventh, but the Terps tied the score before Davis’ late inning heroics shut the door on the game.

The win moves the red and white to 25-20 (8-7 ACC), while Maryland falls to 30-12 (5-7 ACC). The all-time series between the two programs is now dead-even at 7-each.

“I was proud of the way that our players weathered the seventh inning and stayed with it,” said head coach Lisa Navas. “Shanna Smith had an incredible weekend, and I am so proud of the way Ashleigh Davis was able to come through with such a clutch hit in a crucial situation.”

Davis’ game winning hit wasn’t exactly an aberration of her performance on the afternoon, as she went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Shanna Smith went 2-for-2 with her 11th homer of the year, two runs and two RBIs.

Lindsay Campana (14-13) grabbed the decision, allowing eight hits and five earned runs. Maryland used three pitchers, with Sara Dooley (13-9) taking the loss. Dooley allowed three earned runs and five hits, while starter Lindsey Wright gave up two earned. Kerry Hickey tossed one inning.

The Pack loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first, but couldn’t push a run across the plate. Smith lined a single into left and took second on a sac-bunt from Davis. Alyssa Allbritten then pushed a grounder to short, which Alex Schultz bobbled, putting runners on the corners with one down. Allbritten quickly swiped second and Claudia Cooper drew a two-out walk to juice the bags, but Bridget Desbois went down on strikes.

A three-run bottom of the third broke the game open for the Wolfpack. Smith drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and moved to third on a bunt single from Davis. Davis then pilfered second, and Allbritten nailed a sac-fly to deep right allowing Smith to score. Cooper, Desbois and Mackenzie Mangum later picked up three-straight walks, plating Davis, and Allison Presnell sent a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle to bring Eliza Jacobellis in.

The long ball come into effect twice in the bottom of the fourth, pushing State’s lead to 6-0. Smith crushed her fourth home run of the weekend to left-center to start the frame. Davis then reached on another E6, and Allbritten followed with a two-run crack, her eighth of the season, to dead center.

A running stab by Davis kept Maryland off of the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Devon Williams drew a leadoff walk and eventually moved to third, but Davis was able to haul in a sinking liner from Meghan Booth in left to end the inning.

Things got crazy in a six-run top of the seventh, as the Terps used five hits to tie the game with its back against the wall. Belak and Sarde Stewart both had two-RBI base hits, and Brittany Bessho cut the Pack’s lead to one with a one-run double to right-center. Hickey then knotted the score at 6-all with a base hit into the right-center gap.

But the red and white wasn’t about to let Maryland spoil Senior Day. Lauren Peters reached on an error by Breanna Shaw at second, and Lisa Nentwig followed with a single through the left side. Smith later walked with two outs to load the bases, and Davis followed with a base hit through the left side to send the partisan ballpark into a heated frenzy.

Prior to first pitch the 2008 senior class was honored in an emotional on-field ceremony.

State will resume play this Tuesday, April 15, with two games at Charlotte. The twin bill is slated to begin at 4 p.m., with game two following around 6 p.m. Live stats will be available for both games via GoPack.com.