Saturday, February 27
Raleigh, N.C.
1:00 PM
NC State
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Gardner-Webb
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Gardner-Webb
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NC State
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Wolfpack Hits Six Home Runs, Shuts Out Gardner-Webb in Doubleheader
2/27/2021 7:00:00 PM | Softball
RALEIGH – The offense was rolling in combination with stellar pitching for the NC State softball team, Saturday, as the Wolfpack shutout Gardner-Webb in both games of the team's doubleheader. NC State (7-2) won the first game, 6-0, before taking game two 7-0.
It was a home run heavy day, as the Pack totaled six between the two games for 11 of the team's 13 runs. Five total players hit home runs, led by Angie Rizzi's two while Taty Forbes went 4-for-5 on the day with a walk and stolen base.
NC State used three pitchers between the two games, with Sam Gress and Brooklyn Lucero each earning a start. It was the first pitching appearance of the season for Gress and the first of Lucero's career. Gress (1-0) pitched 6.0 shutout innings in game one where she allowed one hit with five strikeouts and two walks. Lucero (1-0) earned the win in game two, after pitching 5.0 innings. She allowed three hits with three strikeouts. Estelle Czech pitched in relief in both innings for a combined 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
GAME ONE RECAP
Rizzi wasted no time, giving NC State a 2-0 lead after the first inning on a deep hit home run over the right field fence. She scored Forbes who had hit a single directly before her.
Gress did not allow a hit through the first four innings before Weslyn Almond broke up the no-hitter. A walk to Trinity Sterret loaded the bases before Gress worked out of the jam with a strikeout and fly ball to center field.
NC State's offense would come right back with a two home run inning the sixth. Carson Shaner led off the frame for her second of the season, followed by the first for catcher Sam Sack who notched three RBIs with her swing of the bat.
Czech would give up the leadoff runner following an NC State error before retiring the final three in a row to close out the first shutout of the season for the Pack.
GAME TWO RECAP
It was the first career start for Lucero, who retired eight of the first nine batters she faced. She wouldn't allow a base runner in scoring position in her five innings pitched.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Morris muscled in her third home run of the season for a 2-0 Wolfpack lead. The lead doubled with another home run, this one by the way of Kaylee Lambrecht in the bottom of the fourth. The home run was the first hit of Lambrecht's young career, making it the second-straight year NC State has had a freshman's first career hit be a home run, after Libby Whittaker also did so in 2020.
NC State added another run in the fourth when Sam Russ laid down a bunt single. Russ then stole second and scored on a throwing error by the Runnin' Bulldogs catcher. The offense showcase continued with three hits and two runs in the bottom of the fifth, including an inning lead off home run for Rizzi.
OF NOTE
UP NEXT
NC State concludes its four-game series against Gardner-Webb tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 28 at 12 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.
It was a home run heavy day, as the Pack totaled six between the two games for 11 of the team's 13 runs. Five total players hit home runs, led by Angie Rizzi's two while Taty Forbes went 4-for-5 on the day with a walk and stolen base.
NC State used three pitchers between the two games, with Sam Gress and Brooklyn Lucero each earning a start. It was the first pitching appearance of the season for Gress and the first of Lucero's career. Gress (1-0) pitched 6.0 shutout innings in game one where she allowed one hit with five strikeouts and two walks. Lucero (1-0) earned the win in game two, after pitching 5.0 innings. She allowed three hits with three strikeouts. Estelle Czech pitched in relief in both innings for a combined 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
We're pretty sure that scored a soccer goal too.
— NC State Softball (@PackSoftball) February 27, 2021
🤯
💻 https://t.co/4uCRsDz9QV pic.twitter.com/FIK58uTzgO
GAME ONE RECAP
Rizzi wasted no time, giving NC State a 2-0 lead after the first inning on a deep hit home run over the right field fence. She scored Forbes who had hit a single directly before her.
Gress did not allow a hit through the first four innings before Weslyn Almond broke up the no-hitter. A walk to Trinity Sterret loaded the bases before Gress worked out of the jam with a strikeout and fly ball to center field.
NC State's offense would come right back with a two home run inning the sixth. Carson Shaner led off the frame for her second of the season, followed by the first for catcher Sam Sack who notched three RBIs with her swing of the bat.
Czech would give up the leadoff runner following an NC State error before retiring the final three in a row to close out the first shutout of the season for the Pack.
GAME TWO RECAP
It was the first career start for Lucero, who retired eight of the first nine batters she faced. She wouldn't allow a base runner in scoring position in her five innings pitched.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Morris muscled in her third home run of the season for a 2-0 Wolfpack lead. The lead doubled with another home run, this one by the way of Kaylee Lambrecht in the bottom of the fourth. The home run was the first hit of Lambrecht's young career, making it the second-straight year NC State has had a freshman's first career hit be a home run, after Libby Whittaker also did so in 2020.
NC State added another run in the fourth when Sam Russ laid down a bunt single. Russ then stole second and scored on a throwing error by the Runnin' Bulldogs catcher. The offense showcase continued with three hits and two runs in the bottom of the fifth, including an inning lead off home run for Rizzi.
OF NOTE
- NC State has hit three home runs in four games already this season. NC State has a total of 18 home runs through nine games, averaging 2.00 per game.
- The Pack also has eight of its nine starters with at least one home run in 2021, while all nine have hit one in their career.
UP NEXT
NC State concludes its four-game series against Gardner-Webb tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 28 at 12 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gress, Sam (1-0)
L: LYON, Andrea (0-1)
Batting:
SH: MITCHELL, Katie 1
Base Running:
HBP: ALMOND, Weslyn 1 ; LYON, Andrea 2 ; GOODRUM, Abbey 1
Batting:
HR: Rizzi, Angie 1 ; Shaner, Carson 1 ; Sack, Sam 1
RBI: Rizzi, Angie 2 ; Shaner, Carson 1 ; Sack, Sam 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Forbes, Tatyana 1 ; Rizzi, Angie 1 ; Shaner, Carson 1 ; Gress, Sam 1 ; Roberts, Gracie 1 ; Sack, Sam 1
SB: Visser, April 1
HBP: Gress, Sam 1 ; Visser, April 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P/1B
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
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EmpowHER with Aisha Weixlmann #Shorts #NCState #GoPack
Monday, October 16