Softball Drops Finale to Virginia

Sunday, March 22

Raleigh, N.C.

12:00 PM

NC State

13-10, 2-1

Virginia

18-7, 1-2

Virginia

NC State

3/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State dropped its ACC series finale to Virginia, 5-3, on Sunday, March 22 at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. The loss moves the Pack to 13-10 (2-1 ACC), while the Cavaliers climb to 18-7 (1-2 ACC).

Lindsay Campana (6-5) took the loss, lasting 1.1 innings and giving up two earned runs. Mendy McKenzie tossed 5.2 innings in relief for State, fanning six. Karla Wilburn (13-2) earned the victory.

Bridget Desbois had two hits and an RBI for the Pack. Both Desbois and Allison Presnell hit their fourth home runs of the year.

One hit and an error allowed UVa to stake an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Giannina Cipolloni nailed a two-bagger just inside the first base line, later scoring on a Sarah Tacke fielder’s choice when the throw from short to first sailed wide of the bag.

Presnell tied things up in the bottom half of the inning, belting a solo shot out of right field. The blast is more than likely the longest in the history of the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium as it nearly cleared the ditch at the end of the property behind the scoreboard.

Campana struggled with her control and the Cavaliers pushed its lead to 3-1 with two runs on four hits in the top of the second. Abby Snyder singled through the left side, stole second and took third on a Lauren McCaskey base hit. Casey Steffan then brought Snyder over the dish with an RBI single before Campana walked Alison Pittman to load the bases. Cipolloni pushed the Cavaliers lead to 3-1 with an RBI base hit through the left side, and State removed Campana in favor of McKenzie who retired the first two batters she faced.

NC State put its first two batters on base in the bottom of the fourth, but couldn’t generate any more offense.

Two incredibly costly errors, both with two outs, allowed the Pack to shorten its debt to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Stephanie Call and Alyssa Allbritten both reached on errors at first base, and Lauren Peters singled back up the middle to score Call.

Despite the Wolfpack trimming the score Carly Winger put the game away for UVa with a two-run bomb in the top of the seventh. Cipolloni drew a free pass and Winger followed with a blast well beyond the wall in left.

Desbois mashed a solo effort to left-center in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little too late.

NC State will host Charleston Southern for one game this coming Tuesday, March 24, at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. GoPack.com will provide live stats.