Softball Takes Series from Hokies

Saturday, April 23

Blacksburg, Va.

11:00 AM

NC State

23-21, 0

Virginia Tech

0, 0

NC State

Virginia Tech

4/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 http://stats.gopack.com/sports/w-softbl/2010-2011/st0423-2.html

April 23, 2011

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. - NC State (24-21, 5-11 ACC) softball earned a series victory over Virginia Tech (33-16, 9-9 ACC) today in Blacksburg, Va. at Tech Softball Park. The Wolfpack fell in the first game 6-2, but won the second 3-1.

Bethaney Wells posted an excellent day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a single, a double and a homerun in the second matchup with the Hokies.

Kayla Cox earned the victory in the circle, giving up just one run off of four hits while striking out five in the complete game effort.

Wells knocked her ninth homerun of the season and second of the day in the top of the first inning to put the Wolfpack up 2-0.

Virginia Tech got on the board, pulling within one at 2-1, in the bottom of the third inning when Cox hit a batter and walked two-straight Hokies.

Alicia Abbott sent a Jasmin Harrell offering deep over the outfield fence on a line in the fourth inning, her third homerun of the campaign. The blast, a solo shot, extended NC State's lead to 3-1.

The Hokies threatened again in the fifth, notching two base hits and drawing a walk. The Pack was able to maintain its 3-1 lead though, after Landon Warren gunned down Ashton Ward, who was attempting to score from second.

In the first game of the twinbill, Virginia Tech defeated NC State by a score of 6-2.

Caitlin Dent posted a 2-for-3 game offensively for the Pack, and Toni Ann Williford notched a 2-for-4 performance in the loss.

Virginia Tech jumped out to an early lead, notching three runs off of four hits in the opening inning

Wells and Dent smashed back-to-back homeruns in the fourth inning to cut the Hokie lead to 4-2. It is the first time since 2010, when Allison Presnell and Alyssa Allbritten notched back-to-back bombs, that NC State has knocked two round-trippers in a row.

Kristina Cruz padded the Hokie advantage in the bottom half of the fourth, notching her third homerun of the year to move the score to 5-2. Later in the frame, Courtney Liddle singled up the middle to plate Ashton Ward to increase the Virginia Tech lead to 6-2 over the Wolfpack.

NC State softball returns to the field Saturday, April 30 as the Pack hosts Virginia in a three-game ACC series. Action begins with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and concludes Sunday at noon. The Wolfpack will be celebrating senior day on Sunday, honoring Bridget Desbois, Abbott, Allbritten and Alyssa Ishibashi.