Softball Sweeps Second Day Of Homewood Suites Challenge

Saturday, March 24

Raleigh, NC

12:15 PM

NC State

17-12

Kennesaw State

20-11

Kennesaw State

NC State

Softball Sweeps Second Day Of Homewood Suites Challenge

3/24/2018 6:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RALEIGH – The NC State softball team swept its doubleheader on Saturday in the Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP Challenge at Dail Stadium. The Wolfpack took down Kennesaw State 4-3, and after plating at least one run in each inning the team defeated Niagara 9-7 in game two.

NC State improves to 18-12 while the Owls fall to 20-11 and the Purple Eagles move to 5-17 on the season.

How It Happened
Game One
-After two scoreless innings the Owls took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the third on a passed ball with the bases loaded.
-The Pack knotted the game in the bottom frame with Jade Caraway's RBI double to left center, scoring pinch runner Sam Russ from second. After a groundout moved Caraway over to third, Cheyenne Balzer's two-run homer over the center field wall allowed NC State to take a 3-1 lead.
-An error and pair of walks loaded the bases to start the NC State fourth inning, and Chandley Garner's RBI walk tacked on a run to extend her team's lead to 4-1.
-Kennesaw State cut its deficit to one with an RBI single up the middle and groundout with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
-Despite the Owls threatening in the sixth with runners on second and third with one out, NC State managed to keep Kennesaw State at bay as a pop up ended the side and three groundouts in the seventh sealed the win.

Game Two
-The Pack kept its momentum going in the second game, scoring two runs in the first inning. Caraway led off the side with a hit-by-pitch, and Garner and Balzer were walked to load the bases. Alyssa Compton's sacrifice fly to right field brought the first run across and Angie Rizzi's single through the left side plated the other run.
-NC State added another run in the second inning when Macauley Prickett led off with an infield single and scored on Lily Bishop's double up the right field line.
-Natalie Jones's two-run shot in the third inning extended her team's lead to five. Compton led off with a double up the right field line and advanced to third on Rizzi's sacrifice bunt to bring up Jones.
-Niagara scored three runs on two hits and an error in the fourth inning, cutting its deficit to two. A single through the left side brought in the first run, while the error plated the second run and a sacrifice fly to left field allowed the third one to score.
-The Pack answered in the bottom frame with two runs to extend its lead to four. Caraway led off with a walk and advanced to second on Garner's groundout, then scored on Balzer's double to left center for the first run. Balzer was then brought home on Compton's single through the right side.
-The Purple Eagles put themselves within two in the top of the fifth with two more runs on an outfield single and error, but NC State once again answered in the bottom frame as Bishop scored Prickett with her second double of the game after she hit a two-out single to the shortstop.
-Garner added a run in the sixth when she led off with a home run to center field.
-Two runs scored on an error in the top of the seventh with two outs, but a groundout to Garner at second base allowed the Pack to clinch the victory.

Inside The Box Score
Game One
-Balzer's homer in the third inning was her third of the year.
-Caraway's double was her fifth of the year and second of the weekend. She led the team at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance while the team tallied seven hits in the contest.
-Devin Wallace (10-5) earned the win in the circle as she threw her eighth complete game of the season. She struck out five and gave up one earned run.

Game Two
-The Pack tallied 12 runs in the contest, the second-most scored in a single game this season. Compton, Jones and Bishop each had two hits in the win.
-Kama Woodall (5-5) earned the win in the circle as she threw three innings and gave up three hits but did not allow a run to score.
-Garner's homer was her sixth of the season, pacing the team with Timberlyn Shurbutt, and Jones belted the first of her career.

Up Next
NC State will wrap up play Sunday in the Homewood Suites by Hilton RDP/RTP Challenge at Dail Stadium. Due to the schedule being shortened there will be three games played Sunday. The Pack will face Kennesaw State at 2:30 p.m.