Pack Falls in Ten Innings to North Carolina

Sunday, April 15

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

NC State

21-25, 3-11

North Carolina

32-10, 9-3

NC State

North Carolina

4/15/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

April 15, 2012

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - NC State (21-25, 3-11 ACC) left 12 runners stranded and surrendered two unearned runs in an extra innings 3-2 loss today to North Carolina (32-10, 9-3 ACC).

Morgan Peeler got the start in the circle for the Wolfpack. In 3.2 innings of work, she scattered four hits but did not surrender an earned run. Emily Weiman came on in her relief in the fourth, and gave up one earned run off of four hits in 5.2 innings of work.

Renada Davis paced the Pack at the plate in the contest by going 2-for-4, and fellow freshman Sara Lippard notched the Pack's only two RBI for the day.

Landon Warren reached base on a dropped third strike to open the game for the Wolfpack, but was thrown out at second on a hard bunt by Toni Ann Williford. Davis then notched a single and Bethaney Wells drew a walk to load the bases with one out for Lippard. She lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Williford and give the Pack a 1-0 lead over the Tar Heels in the first inning.

The Wolfpack put together a two-out rally in the second inning, placing runners on second and third, but was unable to push another run across.

The Tar Heels took advantage of a costly Wolfpack throwing error in the third inning to score two runs and take a 2-1 lead over State.

Weiman came on in relief of Peeler with one on and two outs in the fifth inning, and got Tar Heel pinch hitter Amber Parrish to ground out to end the frame.

Warren and Williford each reached to lead off the fifth inning, then moved to second and third on a nicely placed Davis sacrifice bunt. Next, Wells was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Lippard for the second time in the game. Lippard then reached on a run-scoring error by UNC shortstop Ally Blake, tying up the contest at 2-2. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, State and UNC were knotted at 2-2.

UNC pitcher Lori Spingola retired the Wolfpack in order in the seventh, so the game remained tied at 2-2 heading into the Tar Heel half of the frame.

Weiman and the Wolfpack defense held the Tar Heels in the seventh, forcing the game into extra innings.

Leah Jones led off the eighth with a single, but was thrown out at second trying to advance on a wild pitch. This out proved to be costly, though, as Katie Mansilla followed by lacing a two-out triple and Grant then posted an infield base hit. Warren popped out to end the frame, though, and the contest remained tied, 2-2.

UNC's Haleigh Dickey notched a double with one out in the eighth inning, then advanced to third on a deep fly ball by Logan Foulks. weiman, though, was able to get the next batter, Constance Orr, to ground out to end the frame. Through eight complete innings, the game remained tied 2-2.

Davis posted a single with one out in the ninth, but the Wolfpack was unable to move her and the game remained tied heading into the bottom of the ninth.

In the bottom of the tenth inning, Blake blasted a home run over the center field wall to give the Tar Heels the walk-off extra inning victory, 3-2.

State softball returns to Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium Wednesday, April 18 to take on Elon at 6 p.m.