Softball Upsets No. 13 UNC; Advances to ACC Title Game

Saturday, May 10

College Park, Md.

4:30 PM

NC State

31-26

North Carolina

50-10-1

North Carolina

NC State

Softball Upsets No. 13 UNC; Advances to ACC Title Game

5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. Kristine Bechtholdt hit a solo jack and Lindsay Campana held one of the nation’s top offenses to three quiet hits as NC State stunned No. 13 North Carolina, 1-0, to earn a spot in the ACC Championship game on Saturday, May 10.

The win moves the Pack to 31-26 on the year, while UNC dips to 50-10-1.

Despite getting swept in a three-game regular season stand just a few weeks ago, the Pack is now 12-5 all-time against its arch nemesis. The victory marks the third time in four years that the Wolfpack has knocked the Tar Heels out of the ACC tournament.

State is 4-0 all-time against UNC at the ACC Championships.

Campana (19-17), who tossed a one-hitter against Georgia Tech in the opening round of the tournament, picked up the complete game win on seven K’s across 106 pitches. Lisa Norris (17-4) suffered the loss.

First-team All-ACC player Shanna Smith started the bottom of the first with a walk, and took to second when Ashleigh Davis flew out to left and Whitney Allen slipped after making the grab. Conference freshman of the year Alyssa Allbritten followed with a walk, but Claudia Cooper struck out and Allison Presnell grounded back to the circle.

UNC had a runner on first with two down in the top of the second, with Alyssa Francona owning a 3-0 count at the plate. But Campana bounced back with three-straight strikes to quiet the Tar Heel contingent.

State went up 1-zip in the bottom of the second on a one-run blast from Bechtholdt, who cracked her eighth dinger of the year over the wall in dead center by clobbering Norris’ second pitch of the inning.

North Carolina was out for blood in the top of the fourth, but the Wolfpack defense ended any potential threat. Jennifer Jacobs landed the Tar Heels first hit with a sinking liner into left with one out, and Emily Troup followed with a walk. But Whitney Allen sent a grounder to Smith at short, where she stepped on the bag and fired to first for an inning-ending double play.

ACC Player of the Year Danielle Spaulding drew a two-out walk in the top of the sixth, and Jennifer Jacobs followed with a single into right. Campana, however, induced a Troup grounder to short, and that was all she wrote on the potential rally.

The top of the seventh wasn’t exactly a joy ride for the Pack or its traveling party. Allen singled through the left side, and Ashley Oxendine came on to run at first. But Campana was resilient, catching Norris and Francona swinging before Brittany McKinney grounded out to clinch State’s title game berth.

State will make its second appearance in the ACC title game in three years against No. 17 Virginia Tech tomorrow, Sunday, May 11, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament also on the line. The all-time series between the two programs is knotted at 7-7.

First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. Live stats will be available via GoPack.com, while Fox Sports South, NESN, Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic and Fox Sports Florida will air the game live on TV.