FSU Takes 4-3 Affair from Softball in Eight

Saturday, April 26

Tallahassee, Fla.

4:00 PM

NC State

29-25, 8-12

Florida State

35-23, 11-9

NC State

Florida State

4/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. NC State dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker at Florida State on Saturday, April 26, in eight innings. State led by three midway through, but late FSU rallies turned the table on the game.

The loss sends the Pack to 29-25 (8-12 ACC), while the Seminoles climb to 35-23 (11-9 ACC).

Lindsay Campana (17-17) took the loss in relief, allowing two earned in 2.2 frames. Mendy McKenzie started but was lifted after five innings. Mackenzie Mangum led State at the plate with two hits and two RBIs.

Terese Gober (10-11) picked up the complete-game win.

Jessica Gilmore hit a two-out ground rule double in the bottom of the first, but was promptly picked off, 2-4-5.

Alyssa Allbritten gave the Pack an early 1-0 advantage in the top of the third with an RBI base hit up the middle. Shanna Smith beat out an infield single, and then took second on a passed ball. Ashleigh Davis followed with a walk, and Allbritten scored Smith with a single.

The Seminoles loaded the bases in the bottom of the third, but it wasn’t in the cards. Michelle Snyder drew a leadoff walk, and moved to second on a Kristie McConn sac-bunt. A Whitney Buckmon infield single later put runners at the corners with two down, and Gilmore walked to load the bases. But McKenzie was resilient, catching Brittany Osmon swinging to end the jam.

The Pack had another scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth, but failed to do any damage. Mangum chopped a base hit down the left line to start off. Krystal Hawkins, pinch running at first, then moved to third on consecutive grounders from Kristine Bechtholdt and Lauren Peters. Gober, however, struck out Lisa Nentwig to end the inning.

Monica Montez doubled into the left-center alley with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, but Snyder went down looking.

State padded its lead on a two-run base hit from Mangum in the top of the fifth. Blair Harkey reached on a throwing error by Ashley Stager and swiped second before Smith walked. A sac-bunt from Davis put runners on second and third, and Claudia Cooper walked to load the bases with two outs. Mangum then flared a two-RBI single down the line in left, pushing the score to 3-0.

But FSU bit a big chunk out of State’s lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Kelly Langston led off with a pinch-hit dinger to left, and Gilmore later added a sac-fly.

One hit and an error helped the Seminoles knot the score in the bottom of the sixth. Campana took over in the circle, but things didn’t go smoothly as she hit Montez with one out. Snyder then reached on an E4 and McConn followed with a single up the middle, plating Montez.

The Pack had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the eighth, but couldn’t put a scratch across.

The Seminoles found themselves in practically the same situation in the bottom half of the inning, but took advantage. A pitch hit McConn and Wynn advanced her to third with a single into center. Gilmore then came up huge, with two on and two out, etching a game winning to pull the curtain on the game.

Smith set a new single-season school record for walks, picking up her 34th. That tops Jen Chamberlin's 33 set last season.

The two programs will meet tomorrow, Sunday, April 27, for the final game of the series. First pitch is slated for 12 noon.