ACC play starts off well for softball

After the March 14 series versus Virginia Tech was postponed, the softball team took on Virginia in a weekend series to begin ACC play. Saturday’s doubleheader showed two solid performances from the ladies in red, as N.C. State took both games 3-2 and 9-1. In Sunday’s finale, the Pack produced a solid effort but came up short as they dropped the last game of the three game series 5-3.

Junior Lindsay Campana helped the Wolfpack cause in the first game, putting out a complete game, two-run performance, with eleven strikeouts. Senior Mendy McKenzie took the mound in the second and gave up one run in five innings of work, while striking out eight Cavaliers.  In the second game, the bats came to work as State put up nine runs on the scoreboard, with sophomore shortstop Eliza Jacobellis leading the way at the plate with three RBIs.

Sunday’s game was a turn of fate for the Pack as an overall solid effort came up short as a seventh inning home run from UVA put the Cavs up 5-2. In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore third basemen Bridget Desbois brought the Pack within two with a colossal bomb to left with two outs, her team-leading fifth of the season, but could not get a rally started for a comeback.

“It’s disappointing to come out today [and lose] with the fire we had yesterday.” coach Lisa Navas said, “[But] it’s a good start.  We did some good things but we’re still making mistakes that cost us.”

Compana made her second start of the series Sunday, but initially had trouble finding the strike zone, as she walked two and gave up two earned runs in 1 1-3 innings.  She was replaced by McKenzie who pitched 5 2-3 innings striking out six and giving up two hits, but found herself on the wrong side of the game-winning home run in the seventh inning.

“My team hit for me and kept us in the game,” McKenzie said.  “[I] focus on one pitch at a time, but just let that one [pitch] get away from me.”

McKenzie was given some support from the bats, as Desbois’ home run was matched by a ball hit over the scoreboard by junior Allison Presnell. Presnell leads the team with a .479 slugging percentage with four home runs. The loss sent the Pack to 13-10 (2-1 ACC). The women return to action when they host Charleston Southern this Tuesday.