NC State softball lost its first conference series of the season, falling to Pittsburgh in a nail-biter game that extended into extra innings after splitting the first two matchups.
Triumphing over the Panthers (15-11, 2-4 ACC) in a doughty second game but losing in the first, the Pack (19-10, 1-2 ACC) failed to come out on top in the hefty third match-up that required an extra frame to be decided.
Game 1
The game started off stagnant with neither team scoring a run in the first two innings, but the freshman duo — infielder Lily Livingston and utility player Morgen Talley — made efforts with a double and single in the second; but Pittsburgh kept the sheet clean.
The Wolfpack came out swinging in the third as freshman infielder Carly Short launched a lone homer into deep left field, which gave State the initial lead of 1-0.
It was all downhill from there for the Pack as Pitt took off running in the fifth and never looked back. The Panthers started off with an RBI-double to tie the score, and went on to hit a two-run single to get ahead 3-1.
There was no salvaging the game for the Wolfpack after a fielding error caused the Panthers to extend their lead by one, and an RBI in the seventh clinched the match for Pittsburgh. NC State closed out its first conference game of the season with a 5-1 loss, but the Pack didn’t stay defeated for long as the team battled it out in game two of the series.
Game 2
The matchup started off in favor of the Panthers as they launched two solo-homers in the first few innings. But NC State was up for the challenge as senior utility player Hannah Church drilled a 241-foot solo homer of her own in the fourth to put the Pack on the board and cut Pitt’s lead in half.
The battle back to the lead continued only two spots later, as Talley pegged a 246-footer down the line to tie up the score and close out the notable inning.
The teams ended up in a stalemate for the next few innings as both pitchers were solid in their game. But senior outfielder Maia Townsend sparked a resurgence for State as she knocked a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh.
Sophomore infielder Kendall Simmers followed her lead as she drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs. Talley also shined bright in the fight for the win as she set a new career high for single-game strikeouts with eight.
But the star of the show was Livingston as she hit a walk-off double to the left-center gap to send Townsend home and seal the game for the Wolfpack, 3-2.
Game 3
The third matchup started off rough for the Pack as the team suffered a fielding error early on. Pittsburgh took the opportunity to get the ball rolling as they were the first to score with an RBI single to shallow center field at the top of the first.
State responded as Livingston singled and movement happened on the bases. But the Wolfpack couldn’t catch its footing as another error was made at the top of the second.
The Panthers showed out in the third as they hit singles galore; one of which turned into a run to extend their early lead of 2-0. Pittsburgh scored again in the fourth and NC State changed their pitcher from redshirt-junior Wynne Gore to senior Rylee Wyman.
The Pack came alive in the fifth inning as Short drove her second home run of the series with a double 222-footer to deep left field; lessening Pitt’s lead to 3-1. She also cemented herself in program history with the second most consecutive games reaching bases at 29.
The Wolfpack’s momentum continued as sophomore infielder Taryn Massey hit a sac-fly to center field which propelled Talley to third base and a throwing error from Pitt let her come home.
The turn of events pushed the Pack to even the score 3-3 at the end of the sixth, as Talley stepped up to the mound for the top of the seventh. There was a standstill on both ends as the tension was palpable at Dail Stadium, which ultimately led to extra innings.
The Wolfpack fought hard as they crawled back from a 3-0 disadvantage, but fell short of the win after another error and lack of attack at the plate during the bottom of the eighth, as Pitt won on an unearned RBI-single to clinch the series.
NC State will next take the field at Virginia Tech on Mar. 20 at 6 p.m.
