NC State Softball to Host DoubleTree RDU Challenge

Friday, March 11
Time (ET)	Game	Coverage
10:00 a.m.	Delaware State vs. Northern Illinois	Live Stats
12:15 p.m.	Northern Illinois vs. Loyola Chicago	Live Stats
2:30 p.m.	Delaware State vs NC State	Live Stats \| Live Video
4:45 p.m.	Loyola Chicago vs. NC State	Live Stats \| Live Video
Saturday, March 12
10:00 a.m.	Loyola Chicago vs. Delaware State	Live Stats
12:15 p.m.	Northern Illinois vs. NC State	Live Stats \| Live Video
2:30 p.m.	#4 Seed vs. #1 Seed	Live Stats
4:45 p.m.	#3 Seed vs. #2 Seed	Live Stats
Sunday, March 13
10:00 a.m.	Loser vs. Loser	Live Stats
12:15 p.m.	Winner vs. Winner	Live Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. – Continuing its nine-game home stretch, the NC State softball team welcomes a trio of teams to Dail Stadium this weekend for the DoubleTree RDU Challenge. Delaware State, Loyola Chicago and Northern Illinois will make the trip to Raleigh for the event.

NC State begins play in the challenge against Delaware State at 2:30 p.m. Friday and takes on Loyola Chicago later that evening at 4:45 p.m. Saturday the Pack will play Northern Illinois at 12:15 p.m.

The event will be a true round-robin tournament, as the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds will meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds will play at 4:45 p.m. Sunday the winners from both games meet in the championship game at 12:15 p.m., while the losers will play in the third-place game at 10 a.m.

The Wolfpack enters the weekend with a 9-9 record on the season and a 2-1 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play. Delaware State is 6-8 on the year, while Loyola Chicago is 13-4 overall and Northern Illinois is 8-6.

Weekend Promotions
The Miracle League of the Triangle will join NC State during starting lineups for Saturday's game against NIU at 12:15 p.m. As always, admission is free and posters, schedule cards will be available for fans.

Last Time Out
In its last outing of the season, NC State rallied for a 7-5 win in the series finale against Virginia Tech to clinch the series. The teams split Saturday's doubleheader, which set up the winner take-all matchup on Sunday.

Hutchison's BIG Week
Junior Molly Hutchison turned in one of the best weekly performances in program history and was rewarded for her play. She was named the ACC Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday and garnered USA Softball Collegiate National Co-Player of the Week on Tuesday.

The selection marked just the second time in NC State history that a player has collected national player of the week honors from USA Softball. She hit .667 for the week with eight hits, seven RBI, six runs scored and two home runs.

Power Trip
NC State is currently second in the ACC and tied for 15^th in the NCAA with 25 home runs as a team. The Wolfpack has hit at least one home run in 14 of 18 games this season.

The Pack leads the conference and is ninth in the nation with 1.39 home runs per game. Tyler Ross and Meredith Burroughs are second and third, respectively, in the ACC with eight and seven home runs.

#PackPair
NC State takes great pride in its defensive play and this season the Wolfpack has turned an ACC best 0.56 double plays per game. That figure also ranks ninth in the NCAA.

Hi, Five
The fifth inning has been NC State's most successful scoring inning, as the squad has plated 22 runs in the frame – the most in any inning this season.

The More, The Merrier
NC State is a perfect 7-0 this season when recording more hits than its opponent.

From Player to Coach
Former NC State softball standout Alicia Abbott will be returning to her alma mater this weekend, as an assistant coach with Northern Illinois. Abbott spent two seasons playing for the Wolfpack during 2010 and 2011.

She compiled a batting average of .278 over two seasons with six home runs and started all 49 games in her senior year.

Scouting Delaware State
- The Delaware State Hornets enter the weekend with a 6-8 record on the season, after splitting four games at the Delaware Blue Hen Blast.
- NC State and Delaware State have met twice in the history of the programs, with the Wolfpack winning both contests. The most recent meeting was March 13, 2010, a 4-3 win for the Pack at a neutral site.
- It will be DSU's first trip to Dail Stadium, as both prior matchups were at neutral sites.
- Sandy Hawthorne leads the Hornets at the plate with a .432 batting average, while DSU has a team average of .276.
- In the circle, Tara Tursellino paces the pitching staff with a 4-4 record in six starts and a 5.68 earned run average (ERA). Delaware State has a team ERA of 6.41.

Scouting Loyola Chicago
- Loyola Chicago owns a 13-4 overall record on the season and defeated Campbell, 11-8, in its most recent action on Tuesday.
- It will also be the first trip to Raleigh for the Ramblers, as the only prior meeting between the teams was at a neutral site. NC State won the matchup, 3-2, to grab a 1-0 lead in the all-time series.
- Loyola has a team batting average of .344 for the season, headlined by Erica Nagel with a .604 clip at the plate and a team high 32 hits.
- In the pitching circle, Ashley Rogers paces the group with a 6-0 record to go along with a 1.68 ERA. The Ramblers have a team ERA of 2.00.

Scouting Northern Illinois
- The Northern Illinois Huskies enter the challenge with an 8-6 record in 2016, after losing their last game against Saint Louis, 12-7.
- NC State and Northern Illinois will be meeting for the first time this weekend.
- The Huskies have a team batting average of .304 and are led at the plate by Emily Naegele with a clip of .538 to go along with a team best 21 hits.
- NIU pitchers have compiled a 4.76 ERA. Alex Frenz headlines the staff with eight appearances, seven games started and a 3.50 ERA.

#STATEment

NC State Softball to Host DoubleTree RDU Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Meredith Burroughs

Molly Hutchison

Tyler Ross