Offense Shines in Pair of Wins Over Louisville

Friday, February 19

Raleigh, N.C.

2:00 PM

NC State

2-1, 0

Louisville

0-3, 0

NC State

Louisville

2/19/2021 8:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RALEIGH – The NC State offense clicked Friday, putting up 12 runs in two games against Louisville in a pair of wins against the Cardinals. NC State (3-1, 3-1 ACC) totaled 19 hits across the two games, including five home runs.

Logan Morris went 3-for-7 on the day, including two home runs and four RBI. The Wolfpack had a total of 10 different hitters record a hit on the day.

Abby Trahan pitched lights out in game one, picking up her second win of the season. Trahan (2-1) allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Freshman Estelle Czech made her collegiate debut, pitching two innings of relief where she tallied two strikeouts.

Sydney Nester earned the start in game two, pitching her first complete game of the season. Nester (1-0) allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits with seven strikeouts.

GAME 1 RECAP
NC State game out quick to open the game, with an RBI-double by Angie Rizzi in the first inning. Rizzi then scored two batters later thanks to a single to center field from Morris for a 2-0 lead. Louisville promptly answered in the bottom half of the frame tying the game early with a two-run home run by Cardinal pitcher Taylor Roby.

From then on, it was all home runs for the Wolfpack. Angie Rizzi led off the third inning with a single before April Visser delivered with a home run for the 4-2, go ahead lead. For the second-straight frame, NC State put its leadoff batter on base as Sam Gress drew a hit by pitch in the fourth inning. Sam Russ then notched her second homer of the season to extend the Wolfpack to a four run lead, 6-2.

After a 1-2-3 inning for Trahan, Morris led off the fifth with a solo home run. NC State's eighth run of the game came in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Rizzi that scored Russ from second.

Louisville put up a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth before Czech was able to work out of the jam, stranding two runners for the Cardinals in scoring position.

GAME 2 RECAP
It was another early lead for NC State, scoring three runs in the first inning off an RBI-single by Visser and a two-run home run from Morris.

Nester would then retire seven-straight Louisville batters across the third, fourth and fifth innings. Roby once again hit one over the fence to bring the Cardinals within two, 3-1. Carson Shaner came up big in the bottom of the sixth, delivering a solo home run that would be the deciding run in the game. The homer was the first hit of the season for Shaner.

Louisville fought to piece together a comeback effort in the top of the seventh that would fall short. With two outs, Roby had a two-RBI single. Another runner would reach base for the Cardinals, before Tatyana Forbes grabbed the final out of the game on a fly out to right field.

OF NOTE

The Wolfpack moved to an impressive 38-2 when scoring first under the direction of Patrick-Swift.
NC State has won five consecutive games against the Cardinals, dating back to a three-game sweep over them in the 2019 regular-season finale.
Sam Russ had another perfect day on the base paths, going 2-for-2 on stolen bases. The junior now has 76 in her career, 10 shy of the NC State program record.
Russ also moved into seventh all-time at NC State with 92 career runs scored.
Saturday was the 25^th career win for Nester in a Wolfpack uniform. The sophomore has a 25-12 career record.

UP NEXT
NC State is back in action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 20 to conclude its opening weekend. The Wolfpack will play an 11 a.m. matchup against Boston College before taking on Louisville again at 3 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ACCNX.