NC State
11-17, 0
Radford
8-14, 0
Walk Off Homer Pushes Pack Past Radford
3/22/2023 7:39:00 PM | Softball
After holding the Radford offense at bay in the top of the first inning, NC State found their way onto the scoreboard early. Graduate Rebecca Murray began the day with a leadoff single before Katlyn Pavlick knocked a homerun to left field to put the Pack up 2-0 in the bottom of the opening frame.
The Wolfpack's defense continued to shine in the second, with Rylee Wyman striking out two and forcing a groundout in a three up and three down inning.
Radford found their offense in the top of the third, capitalizing on an error and wild pitch committed by the Pack to earn six runs on seven hits.
In the bottom of the third with a runner on, Libby Whittaker homered to right field to get two runs back for NC State and set the score at 6-4 in the bottom of the inning.
Wynne Gore entered the game to start the fourth for the Wolfpack, but Radford kept their foot on the pedal, scoring another run off of an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-4. Gore got to her game in the fifth inning, earning a strikeout and holding Radford off the board.
A Radford throwing error sent Pavlick to first to begin the bottom of the fifth. Thanks to singles by Haley Haislip and Goodwin, Pavlick scored to narrow the deficit, 7-5.
Aisha Weixlmann took the circle for the Pack in the top of the sixth, facing three batters and earning three quick outs.
In the bottom of the frame, freshman MaKayla Marbury provided the Wolfpack with a leadoff pinch hit home run, the program's first since March of 2022. Gabi Wilson entered the game as a pinch runner thanks to a pinch hit single from Brooklyn Lucero. After a Pavlick walk sent Wilson to second, Whittaker earned her third RBI of the day with an infield single that sent Wilson to score and tie the game.
Weixlmann continued to shut out the Radford offense in the seventh, picking up two strikeouts and forcing a pop up to send NC State to the bottom of the frame with a chance to win it. Goodwin wasted no time earning the win for the Pack, as she sent a walk-off home run over the center field fence on the first pitch she faced to send the Pack home with an 8-7 victory.
NEXT UP
The Pack heads to Kentucky to take on Louisville for another ACC series -- play begins Friday at 5pm on ACCNX.
#GoPack | @NCStateSoftball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Weixlmann, Aisha (3-5)
L: GREENE, Chloe (1-4)
Batting:
2B: SMITH, Emily 1 ; BARBATO, Cassi 1
3B: SMITH, Rachel 1
RBI: THOMPSON, Laura 1 ; SHEDRICK, Kari 1 ; MCMILLAN, Cori 1 ; SMITH, Rachel 2 ; SMITH, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: THOMPSON, Laura 1 ; ROBERTS, Lexie 2 ; SHEDRICK, Kari 1 ; MCMILLAN, Cori 1 ; SMITH, Rachel 1 ; SMITH, Emily 1
SB: MCMILLAN, Cori 1
HBP: THOMPSON, Laura 1
Batting:
HR: Pavlick, Katlyn 1 ; Whittaker, Libby 1 ; Goodwin, Hannah 1 ; Marbury, MaKayla 1
RBI: Pavlick, Katlyn 2 ; Whittaker, Libby 3 ; Goodwin, Hannah 1 ; Haislip, Haley 1 ; Marbury, MaKayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murray, Rebecca 1 ; Pavlick, Katlyn 2 ; Inscoe, Madison 1 ; Whittaker, Libby 1 ; Goodwin, Hannah 1 ; Marbury, MaKayla 1 ; Wilson, Gabi 1
