North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball Rivalry Continues at ACC Championships
5/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. - Arguably the biggest rivalry in ACC softball - NC State vs. North Carolina - will open the 2009 ACC Championships at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium on Friday, May 8. First pitch is scheduled for 12 noon. ACC Select will provide a live online broadcast, while the ACC will also offer live stats. Tickets are available on GoPack.com, or by calling the ticket office at 919-865-1510.
The game will mark the fifth time that the two programs have met at the ACC Championships. NC State has won all four decisions thus far.
The Pack, owning the No. 6 seed for the ACC Championships, stands at 23-24 (5-13 ACC) and is riding a three-game winning streak after topping Appalachian State this past Sunday in Raleigh. Alyssa Ishibashi leads the team in batting average (.275) and hits (38), while Alyssa Allbritten has 37 hits. Bridget Desbois’ 22 RBIs is also a team high, with Allison Presnell adding 21. Both Presnell and Kristine Bechtholdt have seven long balls on the year.
Pitcher Lindsay Campana was named ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on April 27 after becoming the first ACC pitcher this season to toss a no-hitter in a conference game when she blanked the Eagles this past Saturday. She fanned 12 and allowed just three walks en route to the first no-hitter of her career, 12th in the six-year history of the Wolfpack program.
Hours later she earned her second victory of the day, tossing 6.2 innings of relief as the Pack secured an 8-7 decision over the Eagles in nine innings.
In all the junior from Templeton, Calif. tossed 13.2 innings, giving up seven hits, five walks and two earned runs while recording 14 K’s against 55 batters faced.
Campana owns a 1.78 ERA with a 13-10 record on the year. Mendy McKenzie, who has been solid in her own right this year, is 8-12 with a 2.43 ERA.
State’s History at the ACC Championships
All-Time Record: 8-8
Championships: 1 (2006)
Title Game Appearances: 2 (2006, 08)
Seed History: 2004 (No. 5), 05 (No. 4), 06 (No. 1), 07 (No. 2), 08 (No. 5), 09 (No. 6)
By Year: 2004 (0-2), 05 (1-2), 06 (5-1), 07 (0-2), 08 (2-1)
By Seed: As No. 1 (5-1), No. 2 (0-2), No. 4 (1-2), No. 5 (2-3)
Vs. Seed: No. 1 (1-1), No. 2 (2-1), No. 3 (1-0), No. 4 (1-1), No. 5 (2-1), No. 6 (0-3), No. 7 (0-1), No. 8 (1-0)
Vs. Team: Boston College (1-1), Florida State (1-1), Georgia Tech (1-2), Maryland (0-3), North Carolina (4-0), Virginia (0-0), Virginia Tech (1-1)
ACC Championships Changes Format
The 2009 ACC Championships will operate under a single elimination format for the first time in league history. The conference tournament, which began in 1992, has always operated under a double elimination format until this season.
Scouting North Carolina
Holding the No. 3 seed at the ACC Championships, as well as a No. 14 national ranking, UNC has been one of the most successful teams in the country this season. Whitney Allen’s .354 batting clip leads an offensive nucleus that boasts five players hitting over .300. Breanna Brown’s 59 hits, 12 doubles and 42 RBIs are all team bests. Danielle Spaulding has the most home runs on the roster with 12
As is always the case with UNC, the Tar Heels carry a deep pitching staff. Lisa Norris (22-6, 1.08 ERA), Spaulding (19-3, 1.13 ERA) have logged the majority of innings with Norris hurling 181.2 and Spaulding working 148.2. Constance Orr (3-1, 2.84 ERA) has tossed 32 innings, mostly in relief.
The All-Time Series
NC State holds a 12-8 lead in the all-time series. North Carolina swept the three-game ACC regular season series this past April.
