Softball's Historic Season Ends in NCAA Super Regional

Saturday, May 23

Eugene, Ore. (Howe Field)

3:00 PM

NC State

38-22

No. 1/2 Oregon

51-6

Oregon

NC State

Softball's Historic Season Ends in NCAA Super Regional

5/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

May 23, 2015

Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. - For the first time in the history of the program, the NC State softball team had its season end in an NCAA Super Regional. The Wolfpack came up short at Howe Field on Saturday, as the top-ranked Oregon Ducks earned a 9-3 win.

NC State concludes its season with a 38-22 record, the most wins under the leadership of third-year head coach Shawn Rychcik. No. 1 Oregon advances to the Women's College World Series (WCWS) for the second consecutive year with a 51-6 mark on the season.

Rychcik's Review
Opening Statement...
"I'm really proud of my team and how we competed this weekend," said Rychcik. "We were still competing in that last inning when we were down by  a couple runs. It was a really good battle; Oregon's a really good team. I like the way we handled ourselves and the moment never got too big for us."

Quick Hits
- Oregon struck first in the contest with a run in the top of the third following an RBI single by Nikki Udria. Danica Mercado singled and stole second base to score on the play.
- NC State answered in the bottom half of the inning with a run following a throwing error by Oregon's shortstop. Senior Renada Davis reached on a fielder's choice and scored on the overthrow to first base to knot the score, 1-1.
- The Ducks used a big fourth inning to gain momentum in the contest after plating four runs in the frame. Oregon batters collected four consecutive hitters to score the four runs.
- Davis smacked her 15th home run of the year in the bottom of the fifth to trim the Wolfpack deficit to 5-2. She sent the 3-2 delivery sailing over the center field fence for the 65th round-tripper of her career.
- Oregon's offense, which ranks third in the nation, plated four additional runs in the top of the seventh to stretch its advantage to 9-2.
- Senior Sara Lippard trimmed the Wolfpack deficit to 9-3, with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to homer in her final career at-bat. It was her second round-tripper of the season and eighth of her tenure with NC State.

Inside the Box Score
- NC State was limited to three hits in the contest, as Tyler Ross singled and both Davis and Lippard hit home runs.
- Udria and Koral Costa led Oregon at the plate, each with a 2-for-3 performance.

In the Pitcher's Circle
- Senior Emily Weiman started in the circle for the Wolfpack and pitched the first 4.1 innings prior to being relieved by sophomore Courtney Mirabella in the fifth. Weiman struck out four batters and walked just one, while Mirabella also fanned four batters.

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