Saturday, February 29
Raleigh, N.C.
3:00 PM
NC State
13-5
9
vs
0
North Carolina A&T
2-14
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
North Carolina A&T
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
NC State
3
3
1
2
X
9
8
3
Gress Throws No-Hitter in First Collegiate Start
2/29/2020 10:08:00 PM | Softball
RALEIGH – In her first collegiate start in the circle, Sam Gress did not disappoint with a no-hitter against North Carolina A&T as NC State split a pair of games on Saturday. The Pack crushed four home runs in a five-inning 9-0 victory against the Aggies before dropping a tough 13-5 game against #24/25 James Madison.
Gress (1-0) is the first NC State (13-6) freshman to throw a no-hitter in her first collegiate start since Megan Dalthorp did so against George Washington on Feb. 12, 2005.
It was a six homerun day for the Wolfpack as a team, led by Carson Shaner who hit two in NC State's win. Shaner has a total of four hits on the season, all of them being home runs. Angie Rizzi, Randi Farricker, Brigette Nordberg and Libby Whittaker all hit one homer Saturday. Whittaker's in the fourth inning against JMU was her first collegiate hit in her second at bat of the year.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T RECAP
After hitting five home runs Friday afternoon against Lehigh, NC State once again dominated the long ball – this time tallying four against North Carolina A&T. Sam Russ reached base on a lead off error before quickly stealing second and setting up an RBI-single from Logan Morris. A two-run blast by Rizzi put the Pack ahead 3-0 early.
A Shaner home run and bases loaded wild pitch doubled the NC State lead, 6-0, before Shaner's second home run pushed the lead to seven. The scoring rounded out in the bottom of the fourth off a sacrifice fly by Rizzi and Farricker's solo homer.
Gress pitched the complete five innings striking out five as A&T had a total of four base runners following a hit by pitch and three errors. The Aggies best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fifth after a lead off error was followed by a fielders' choice where all runners remained safe. Gress retired the next three-consecutive batters to end the five-inning game.
JAMES MADISON RECAP
In what was expected to be a slug fest as JMU and NC State both ranked in the top-20 in the NCAA in home runs, James Madison came out on top with four home runs. The Dukes took advantage of several untimely NC State fielding errors, scoring a total of seven unearned runs.
The two teams matched each other through the first two innings, each with a solo home run before James Madison scored seven unanswered. A three-run fourth inning for NC State sliced into James Madison's lead, 8-4. With a chance to make James Madison leave two runners on base and end the fifth inning, an NC State fielding error scored a run and allowed Hannah File an at bat. File made the most of it with a three-run home run, giving JMU a 12-4 lead and chance to end the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Down to the team's' last pitch in the bottom of the fifth, Sam Sack drew a bases loaded walk that extended the game. The Pack loaded the bases three times in the fifth and sixth inning but was unable to produce any additional runs to cut into the Dukes lead.
Sydney Nester took the loss after pitching three complete innings where she allowed four runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Nester (7-4) still remains one of just three ACC pitchers with at least seven wins this season. Devin Wallace saw two innings of relief before Sam Gress closed out the game with two innings pitched. Gress shut down the Dukes, allowing one run on one hit.
OF NOTE
UP NEXT
NC State concludes its tournament schedule with a 3 p.m. matchup tomorrow, Sunday, March 1, against North Carolina A&T.
Gress (1-0) is the first NC State (13-6) freshman to throw a no-hitter in her first collegiate start since Megan Dalthorp did so against George Washington on Feb. 12, 2005.
It was a six homerun day for the Wolfpack as a team, led by Carson Shaner who hit two in NC State's win. Shaner has a total of four hits on the season, all of them being home runs. Angie Rizzi, Randi Farricker, Brigette Nordberg and Libby Whittaker all hit one homer Saturday. Whittaker's in the fourth inning against JMU was her first collegiate hit in her second at bat of the year.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T RECAP
After hitting five home runs Friday afternoon against Lehigh, NC State once again dominated the long ball – this time tallying four against North Carolina A&T. Sam Russ reached base on a lead off error before quickly stealing second and setting up an RBI-single from Logan Morris. A two-run blast by Rizzi put the Pack ahead 3-0 early.
A Shaner home run and bases loaded wild pitch doubled the NC State lead, 6-0, before Shaner's second home run pushed the lead to seven. The scoring rounded out in the bottom of the fourth off a sacrifice fly by Rizzi and Farricker's solo homer.
Gress pitched the complete five innings striking out five as A&T had a total of four base runners following a hit by pitch and three errors. The Aggies best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fifth after a lead off error was followed by a fielders' choice where all runners remained safe. Gress retired the next three-consecutive batters to end the five-inning game.
JAMES MADISON RECAP
In what was expected to be a slug fest as JMU and NC State both ranked in the top-20 in the NCAA in home runs, James Madison came out on top with four home runs. The Dukes took advantage of several untimely NC State fielding errors, scoring a total of seven unearned runs.
The two teams matched each other through the first two innings, each with a solo home run before James Madison scored seven unanswered. A three-run fourth inning for NC State sliced into James Madison's lead, 8-4. With a chance to make James Madison leave two runners on base and end the fifth inning, an NC State fielding error scored a run and allowed Hannah File an at bat. File made the most of it with a three-run home run, giving JMU a 12-4 lead and chance to end the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Down to the team's' last pitch in the bottom of the fifth, Sam Sack drew a bases loaded walk that extended the game. The Pack loaded the bases three times in the fifth and sixth inning but was unable to produce any additional runs to cut into the Dukes lead.
Sydney Nester took the loss after pitching three complete innings where she allowed four runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Nester (7-4) still remains one of just three ACC pitchers with at least seven wins this season. Devin Wallace saw two innings of relief before Sam Gress closed out the game with two innings pitched. Gress shut down the Dukes, allowing one run on one hit.
OF NOTE
- Gress' no-hitter is the 21st all-time at NC State and the 164th all-time shutout.
- NC State now has 31 home runs as a team this season, led by Sam Sack and Brigette Nordberg who have five a piece. The Pack entered the weekend ranking 20th in the nation with 1.25 home runs per game and now after three games this weekend, NC State now averages 1.63 per game.
- The Pack has not lost to a team this season who was not at least receiving votes in the top-25 polls.
UP NEXT
NC State concludes its tournament schedule with a 3 p.m. matchup tomorrow, Sunday, March 1, against North Carolina A&T.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gress, Sam (1-0)
L: DOUGLAS,Kayla (1-6)
Base Running:
HBP: TROTTER,Maddie 1
PO: MCINTYRE,Latyya 1
Batting:
2B: Russ, Sam 1
HR: Rizzi, Angie 1 ; Farricker, Randi 1 ; Shaner, Carson 2
RBI: Morris, Logan 1 ; Rizzi, Angie 3 ; Farricker, Randi 1 ; Shaner, Carson 3
SF: Rizzi, Angie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russ, Sam 2 ; Forbes, Tatyana 1 ; Morris, Logan 1 ; Rizzi, Angie 1 ; Farricker, Randi 1 ; Nordberg, Brigette 1 ; Shaner, Carson 2
SB: Russ, Sam 2 ; Forbes, Tatyana 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
ULT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
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