After coming off a five game slide to start the season, the Wolfpack was able to pull it together and post a 3-1 record in the Pack Challenge this weekend. The Pack lost its first game against Stony Brook in a close 4-3 contest, but was able to bounce back and pick up wins against Fairfield, Maine and James Madison in the remaining games.
A visit from another N.C. State coach helped inspire the team and fire the players up prior to the start of tournament.
“I think we made some adjustments in the type of pitching we’re facing,” coach Lisa Navas said. “We had coach [Kellie] Harper come talk to us on Thursday and get our spirits up a little bit. It was depressing losing to five games prior to that. We turned things around; we have to play for seven innings and put runs on the board.”
In its first game and home opener against Stony Brook, State took a 3-1 lead in the third inning over the Sea Wolves, but home runs from Taylor Chain, Jessica Combs and Lauren Maloney of Stony Brook gave the Sea Wolves the lead and propelled them to a 4-3 win. State attempted to battle back when senior infielder Alicia Abbott hit her first home run of the year, but the team fell short.
However, the Pack was able to bounce back strong for its second game against Fairfield, taking the matchup with the final score at 7-2. Junior Morgan Peeler pitched a complete game giving up two runs on six hits and striking one out. Fairfield got out to a 2-1 lead over the Pack, but the Pack scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take control of the game.
Many of the players credit the offensive surge to the continued hard work they put in day after day during practice.
“Just seeing the ball [made a difference]. [We put in] a lot of hard work in practice and I think as a team we hit the ball well,” junior outfielder Bethaney Wells said. “We have confidence in each other and we know we’re a hitting team.”
In its third game of the Wolfpack Challenge, the Pack topped Maine in a 3-2 contest — another comeback win for the Pack. After Maine got out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning, junior Toni Ann Willford picked up an RBI to put the Pack on the board. Then junior Landon Warren hit a home run and brought Abbott home to take the 3-2 lead and solidify the win.
Its final game of the Challenge proved a high scoring contest, as State defeated James Madison 8-4. The Dukes started the game off with a home run from Ashley Burnham, but the Pack was able to recover again after giving up the early lead with an offensive onslaught, starting with a two-run homer from senior Alyssa Allbritten. Wells also hit a home run for the Pack, while sophomores Catlin Dent and Breanna Andrews drove in at least a run apiece.
The Pack will try to extend this winning streak to four on Wednesday against the Elon Phoenix at Elon.
