North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball Resumes ACC Play Against Yellow Jackets
4/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. After attempting to step outside of conference play yesterday, NC State softball will get back into league action this weekend with three games against Georgia Tech at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. The Pack and Yellow Jackets will go head-to-head for two games on Saturday, April 5 beginning at 1 p.m., before wrapping up the series on Sunday, April 6 at 12 noon. Live stats will be available for all three games on GoPack.com, and live video streaming of Sunday’s bout will be available via ACCSelect.com.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series between the two programs, 10-4. A year ago the Pack dropped two of three games to the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
Just yesterday the Pack was four outs away from being able to pick up its 20th win of the season, but an absolute deluge got in the way. With one out in the top of the fifth, a torrential downpour forced the first game of a planned twin bill at Elon to be cancelled. State was leading 4-1 when action was halted, and the Pack had tied the school record for doubles in a game with five. Kristine Bechtholdt had slugged two two-baggers alone.
State will greet the Yellow Jackets with a 19-18 (3-6 ACC) record. The red and white own two conference decisions over Boston College and another at the behest of Virginia.
Shanna Smith and Alyssa Allbritten flat-out sizzled at the plate for State last week in two games against Winthrop and three more at Virginia. In five games Smith batted .421 with eight hits, seven RBIs, seven stolen bases in as many attempts, five runs scored, two home runs and a triple. Allbritten, who continues to lead the team in batting average (.333) and RBIs (22), demolished two long balls in Charlottesville this past Sunday.
Both Smith and Allbritten’s offensive production has them set on the path of etching their names in State’s historical annuals by seasons end. Smith’s 21 stolen bags are just five short of the single season record of 26, which she set in 2006. Allbritten is just one double away from setting a new school record for two-baggers in a single season. Heather Gelbard knocked 13 in the program’s inaugural year, 2004.
Bridget Desbois, who has started four-straight games and five of six overall, has done an admirable job of stepping up, making a difference and earning playing time at third base. She carries a five-game hitting streak into the Elon series, and has been defensively sound at the hot corner. Her two errors on the ’08 campaign are the fewest among the four Wolfpack players that have spent time at the position this season.
The Pack certainly had an influx of the long ball last week, pounding out six dingers in five games, with Allbritten, Smith and Bechtholdt launching two each. State has 17 home runs on the season total, so last week’s power surge is a welcome addition to the fray.
In the circle, Lindsay Campana (10-13) and Mendy McKenzie (9-5) have been about as dependable as you could ask for. Campana, armed with a 2.01 ERA, has won six of her last nine decisions and her 142 K’s are second amongst all ACC hurlers. McKenzie had a whirlwind showing last week, tossing a perfect game against Winthrop and coming one out away from picking up another no-hitter at UVa. In three appearances she tossed 17.1 innings, 12-consecutive that were hitless, allowing just one earned run and seven hits.
Georgia Tech (17-23, 2-6 ACC) belted out 23 total hits in a doubleheader sweep of Western Carolina on Thursday. In conference action the Ramblin Wreck got one victory each from Virginia and Virginia Tech, but dropped both games to North Carolina in a rain-reduced two game set. Aileen Morales leads Tech at the plate with a .344 clip, while Brittany Barnes, Whitney Haller and Jessica Weaver each carry six home runs. Staff ace Whitney Humphries holds a 1.88 ERA and an 8-12 record with 119.1 innings of work under her belt.
Following this weekend’s bout, State will return to the field with two games at Radford this coming Tuesday, April 8. The non-conference double dip is schedule to kick off at 3 p.m.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series between the two programs, 10-4. A year ago the Pack dropped two of three games to the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
Just yesterday the Pack was four outs away from being able to pick up its 20th win of the season, but an absolute deluge got in the way. With one out in the top of the fifth, a torrential downpour forced the first game of a planned twin bill at Elon to be cancelled. State was leading 4-1 when action was halted, and the Pack had tied the school record for doubles in a game with five. Kristine Bechtholdt had slugged two two-baggers alone.
State will greet the Yellow Jackets with a 19-18 (3-6 ACC) record. The red and white own two conference decisions over Boston College and another at the behest of Virginia.
Shanna Smith and Alyssa Allbritten flat-out sizzled at the plate for State last week in two games against Winthrop and three more at Virginia. In five games Smith batted .421 with eight hits, seven RBIs, seven stolen bases in as many attempts, five runs scored, two home runs and a triple. Allbritten, who continues to lead the team in batting average (.333) and RBIs (22), demolished two long balls in Charlottesville this past Sunday.
Both Smith and Allbritten’s offensive production has them set on the path of etching their names in State’s historical annuals by seasons end. Smith’s 21 stolen bags are just five short of the single season record of 26, which she set in 2006. Allbritten is just one double away from setting a new school record for two-baggers in a single season. Heather Gelbard knocked 13 in the program’s inaugural year, 2004.
Bridget Desbois, who has started four-straight games and five of six overall, has done an admirable job of stepping up, making a difference and earning playing time at third base. She carries a five-game hitting streak into the Elon series, and has been defensively sound at the hot corner. Her two errors on the ’08 campaign are the fewest among the four Wolfpack players that have spent time at the position this season.
The Pack certainly had an influx of the long ball last week, pounding out six dingers in five games, with Allbritten, Smith and Bechtholdt launching two each. State has 17 home runs on the season total, so last week’s power surge is a welcome addition to the fray.
In the circle, Lindsay Campana (10-13) and Mendy McKenzie (9-5) have been about as dependable as you could ask for. Campana, armed with a 2.01 ERA, has won six of her last nine decisions and her 142 K’s are second amongst all ACC hurlers. McKenzie had a whirlwind showing last week, tossing a perfect game against Winthrop and coming one out away from picking up another no-hitter at UVa. In three appearances she tossed 17.1 innings, 12-consecutive that were hitless, allowing just one earned run and seven hits.
Georgia Tech (17-23, 2-6 ACC) belted out 23 total hits in a doubleheader sweep of Western Carolina on Thursday. In conference action the Ramblin Wreck got one victory each from Virginia and Virginia Tech, but dropped both games to North Carolina in a rain-reduced two game set. Aileen Morales leads Tech at the plate with a .344 clip, while Brittany Barnes, Whitney Haller and Jessica Weaver each carry six home runs. Staff ace Whitney Humphries holds a 1.88 ERA and an 8-12 record with 119.1 innings of work under her belt.
Following this weekend’s bout, State will return to the field with two games at Radford this coming Tuesday, April 8. The non-conference double dip is schedule to kick off at 3 p.m.
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