No. 19 Florida State Skirts Past Softball, 1-0

Sunday, April 19

Raleigh, N.C.

12:00 PM

NC State

20-23, 3-12

Florida State

35-13, 11-4

Florida State

NC State

4/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. NC State dropped another tight 1-0 contest to No. 19 Florida State on Sunday, April 19 at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. The loss sends the Pack to 20-23 (3-12 ACC), while the Seminoles climb to 35-13 (11-4 ACC).

Terese Gober (22-8) got the win, while Mendy McKenzie (8-11) got the loss despite allowing just one run.

Shayla Jackson and Carly Wynn started the game with back-to-back singles for the Seminoles, but McKenzie induced a double play from Kaleigh Rafter before fanning Mallory Borden to escape the inning without allowing any runs to score.

Florida State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Ashley Stager picked up a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Michelle Snyder sac-bunt. Monica Montez followed with a double down the line in left, bringing Stager around.

State had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the third, but couldn’t cash in. Eliza Jacobellis started the inning with a single back to the circle and scampered to second when Gober’s late throw sailed wide. A wild pitch then allowed Jacobellis to take third, but consecutive groundouts to third and a lineout to first put an end to any scoring opportunities.

The Pack left another runner stranded on third in the bottom of the fourth. Bridget Desbois lined a double just inside the foul line by third base, and Krystal Hawkins took her place at second base. A Kristine Bechtholdt grounder to short sent Hawkins to third with two down, but Gober caught Mangum swinging for the third out.

The day also marked Senior Day for Mangum and McKenzie.

A native of nearby Fuquay-Varina, Mackenzie Mangum has spent the past four years as a vital member of the Wolfpack softball program. A year ago Mangum hit the very first home run in Dail Stadium history with a grand slam against Boston College, leading the Pack to its first ACC victory of the year. Mangum has been a member of two NCAA Tournament squads, including the 2006 team that won both the ACC regular season and tournament titles. This season she has played tremendous defense at first base, providing a dependable glove and flashing some serious leather.

Mendy McKenzie joined the Wolfpack program prior to the start of the 2008 season after transferring from Western Carolina, where she won 35 games, and was named first-team all-conference and all-region. In just two years at NC State McKenize ranks fourth in program history in wins, strikeouts, starts and complete games. Last season she tossed a perfect game against Winthrop and, in her very next start, came within one out of recording a second-straight no-hitter at Virginia. McKenzie currently stands at fifth in the conference for strikeouts, and is tied for fifth among all ACC hurlers in opponent batting average.

NC State will wrap up the regular season this coming weekend at Boston College. The Pack and Eagles will play at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 24, before partaking in a doubleheader (11 a.m. & 1 p.m.) on Saturday, April 25.