Softball Drops Twin Bill with No. 7 GT

Saturday, May 1

Raleigh, N.C.

3:00 PM

NC State

28-25, 9-11

Georgia Tech

45-9, 18-2

Georgia Tech

NC State

5/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State dropped both games of a doubleheader to No. 7 Georgia Tech on Saturday at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium by scores of 11-4 and 9-2.

The Wolfpack now stands at 28-25 (9-11 ACC) on the year, while the Yellow Jackets climb to 45-9 (18-2 ACC).

Georgia Tech took the opener, 11-4. Lindsay Campana (17-10) struck out five and allowed three earned runs, while Hope Rush (25-6) picked up the win.

Seven Wolfpack players pounded out hits, with Kristine Bechtholdt putting up two RBIs via the big fly.

Kelsi Weseman and Kristine Priebe hit back-to-back shots in the fourth, putting the Yellow Jackets ahead at 2-0.

Bechtholdt evened the scored at 2-all in the fifth, belting a shot over wall in center. Bridget Desbois plopped a one-out single into left, then came around to score when Bechtholdt drove one out of the yard.

Plate discipline and timely hitting sparked a two-out rally that put the Wolfpack ahead in the sixth. Alyssa Allbritten beat out an infield single and Claudia Cooper drew a free pass to get things started. Stephanie Call followed with a base hit down the third base line, plating a run and giving NC State its first lead of the game.

But Georgia Tech responded with nine runs on four hits and two errors to forge ahead for good in the seventh. Jen Yee picked up a walk with one out, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Kate Kuzma followed with another walk, and Weseman lined a base hit into right to score Yee and tie things up at 3-3.

Caitlin Jordan added a single through the left side to load the bases, and Kuzma later crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Rush furthered the damage by reaching on an infield error with two outs, allowing two more runs to come in. A second error allowed GT to add an additional run before Yee cleared the bases with a grand slam.

The Pack added a final run in its last at-bat as Allison Presnell singled and Landon Warren doubled. Alyssa Ishibashi then reached on an error at short, allowing Presnell to cross the plate.

GT grabbed a 9-2 win in the second game, with Kristen Adkins (7-2) earning the decision. Call (8-10) took the loss. Warren led the offense with two hits, while Bechtholdt drove in two more on another dinger.

Call got out of a jam in the first, fanning two batters in a row to escape a bases loaded jam.

Kelly Eppinger put up the first run of the game in the second, leading off with a double and later stealing home.

Rush hit three-run bombs in both the third and fourth innings, slugging GT to a 7-0 lead.

Bechtholdt shrunk the score to 7-2 in the bottom half of the fourth, blasting her second two-run homer of the day to score Call who had reached on a single.

Morgan Peeler pitched the final three innings for the Pack, allowing one earned run.

NC State and Georgia Tech will wrap up the regular season tomorrow, Sunday, May 2, with a 1 p.m. first pitch. The 2010 senior class will be honored following the game.