Game One Box | Game Two Box
Raleigh, N.C. – The 25th-ranked USC Upstate softball team fell in both games of its doubleheader at N.C. State to suffer its first losses of the season Wednesday evening at Dail Stadium. The Wolfpack won by scores of 1-0 and 5-3.
Upstate fell to 19-2 on the year and will stay in the Research Triangle to face North Carolina in a single game Thursday afternoon at 4:00. N.C. State improved to 10-6.
"Hannah pitched really well in the first game and we didn't give her any run support," said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. "In the second game, we uncharacteristically made three errors. You can't win against good teams when you do that. Hopefully, we will bounce back tomorrow and play well."
The first game of the doubleheader was a classic pitcher's duel which was decided by a Wolfpack single in the fifth inning. Upstate starter Hannah Alexander and N.C. State starter Emily Weiman combined to allow just nine hits in the game.
Upstate had its defense on display early on in the first game of the doubleheader. In the first inning, Maddison Kieffer made a diving play on a blooper behind the pitcher's circle. In the second inning, Kieffer made another great play, ranging 10 feet into the outfield grass in short center field for the first out of the inning and with a runner on first. One batter later, the Spartans got a double play second base to first to end the inning.
The first base runner of the game to reach second base came in the bottom of the third when N.C. State's Kirsty Grant reached on an infield single and then stole second with two outs. However, Alexander got Lana Van Dyken to pop out to catcher Erin Schattle just short of the netting in foul territory to get out of the inning.
It took Upstate one time through the lineup to begin to put anything together against Weiman, the reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year from 2013. Shellie Robinson led off the fourth with a single in the hole between third and short and advanced to second on an error by the shortstop. She moved to third on Landers' ground out to short. However, Weiman got a ground out and a strikeout to get out of the inning.
N.C. State broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning to open a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Grant walked and then stole second. Renada Davis singled down the line in left to score Grant from second. Davis moved all the way to third on the play, advancing to second on the throw home and third on a throwing error. Landers came up with a huge defensive play to end the inning, ranging past the bag at second with a diving catch.
Meredith Barnes continued the theme of Upstate's defense making big-time plays. Hanna Sommer lifted a long fly ball to left center where Barnes tracked the ball to the wall, jumped up and made the catch over the wall to save a home run.
Cheyenne Griffin singled to lead off the top of the seventh, looking to start the rally for the Spartans. Kendall Settlemyre reached on an error to put runners on first and second with one out. A force out at second put runners on the corners with two outs and pinch hitter Anna Miller at the plate. Miller walked to load the bases. However, Weiman got a strikeout to end the inning and the game.
Alexander took the loss, allowing one run on just five N.C. State hits to fall to 5-1 on the year. Weiman improved to 9-5 with the win, allowing just four Upstate hits with four strikeouts.
N.C. State jumped on top early in the first inning when Molly Hutchinson hit a three-run home run to left as the Wolfpack opened a 3-0 lead. The homer came after Upstate put runners on first and second in the top of the first, but couldn't push anything across.
Hutchinson struck again in the third inning. She belted a solo home run, her second of the day, to give the Wolfpack a 4-0 lead.
Upstate clawed back into the game in the fifth inning. The Spartans put runners on first and second with two outs on an error and a walk. Landers lined a double down the line in left to drive in two runs and cut the N.C. State lead to 4-2.
N.C. State turned to game one starter Weiman to start the sixth inning. Upstate continued its rally, doing something against Weiman in the sixth that it couldn't do in the first game by scoring a run. The Spartans put runners on second and third with one out after a sacrifice bunt from Marche Llanos moved the runners over. Kaitlyn Jaeger drove in a run on a ground out to get the Spartans within one, 4-3.
N.C. State got one of the runs back in the bottom of the sixth to build a two-run lead heading to the seventh. The Wolfpack put runners on first and second with two outs. Grant reached on a throwing error which allowed the runner to score from second and give the Wolfpack a 5-3 advantage.
Upstate put the leadoff batter on in the top of the seventh, but Weiman didn't allow anything else in the inning as N.C. State held off the Spartan rally for the 5-3 win. Wolpack starter Courtney Mirabella (1-1) went five innings to earn the win. Weiman picked up the save with two innings of relief. Miller took the loss after allowing three runs in the first to fall to 5-1. Spartan reliever Lexi Shubert tossed five innings and struck out seven. Lander led the Spartans at the plate with a pair of hits and RBIs.
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