The NC State women’s softball team’s 2015 season came to an end this past weekend, falling to top-ranked Oregon in the program’s first-ever Super Regional.
The best-of-three series ended after two games with the Ducks winning game one, 6-1, and game two, 9-3.
Game one opened Friday night with the Wolfpack taking the lead early on with a home run made by senior Renada Davis on the second pitch of the game.
The Pack held onto its 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning, when senior pitcher Emily Weiman hit an Oregon batter, sending in the Ducks’ first run of the game.
Weiman’s mistake opened flood gates, and Oregon tacked on three more runs in the inning to take the lead, 4-1. The Ducks continued to pile on offense, which ranks third in the nation, earning two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
The Ducks’ pitching was dominant in the first game, allowing just one hit outside of Davis’ homer.
In game two, it was the Ducks that struck first, taking the lead in the bottom of the third. The Pack was quick to respond, as Davis took advantage of an Oregon throwing error to make her way home to tie the game at 1-1.
The fourth inning was in favor of the Ducks, as the team gained four more runs. Davis responded with another home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing the score up 5-2.
However, Oregon put the game well out of reach in the seventh, recording its third four-run inning of the series. State senior Sara Lippard blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, but the Ducks emerged with the victory and a berth in the College World Series.
“I’m really proud of my team and how we competed this weekend,” said head coach Shawn Rychcik. “I like the way they handled themselves.”
This weekend marked the final games of team captains Davis and Weiman. Both were four-year starters for the State squad.
Davis will end her career with a record-breaking 65 home runs, 15 of which were hit this season.
Weiman ends her career with four strikeouts in the second game, earning a standing ovation from the crowd when she retired after 4.1 innings.
“[The fans] know softball here, and they understand everything I’ve done,” Weiman said. “It felt really special.”
Rychcik and the Pack ended the season with a 38-22 record and will look to build on their recent success in the coming season.