Mistakes Cost Softball Against No. 14 Houston

Saturday, February 14

Houston, Texas

6:30 PM

NC State

1-1

Houston

4-2

Houston

NC State

2/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas A hot start quickly gave way to costly miscues as NC State fell to No. 14 Houston, 9-3, on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Marriott Houston Classic. The game was delayed for exactly an hour in the top of the fourth before being called off entirely in the top of the sixth.

State slipped to 1-1 with the loss, while the Cougars climbed to 4-2. Lindsay Campana (1-1, 0.78 ERA) shouldered the loss while Amanda Crabtree (3-1) grabbed the decision. Alyssa Allbritten led the red and white at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, while Lauren Peters and Kristine Bechtholdt each supplied hits. Laurie Wagner did a lot of damage for Houston, going 3-for-3 with 5 RBIs.

Peters got the Pack fired up immediately. After gunning down Katie Bush at the plate with a throw from left in the top of the first inning, Peters tripled to right to get State in business in the bottom half of the frame. Alyssa Ishibashi then drew a walk and promptly stole second, allowing Peters to cross the plate. The lead moved to 3-0 moments later when Allbritten belted a two-run bomb over the wall in left.

Campana struggled with her control and two critical errors cost the Pack immensely in the top of the second as the Cougars put up six runs, five of which were unearned. Houston’s first score came on an errant toss to the plate, while two more runs later came on a wild throw from short to first. Wagner made it 6-3 Cougars with a double down the third base line.

Peters gunned down another would-be run at the plate in the top of the third, keeping the score at 6-3. Mendy McKenzie took over in the circle to start the inning.

Houston’s lead climbed to 9-3 with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth when Wagner drilled a three-run blast out of the park in left.

NC State was scheduled to take on Texas State immediately afterwards, but that game was also called off. The Pack will resume action tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 15, with one final game against Indiana at 10 p.m. EST.