Softball Overcomes Mississippi State, 4-3

Saturday, February 27

Columbus, Ga.

11:00 AM

NC State

8-5

Mississippi State

7-5

Mississippi State

NC State

2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Timely hitting, sound defense and solid pitching led NC State past Mississippi State, 4-3, at the 2010 NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Wolfpack overcame an early 2-0 deficit to even the all-time series between the two programs at two wins each.

The victory sends the Pack to 8-5 on the year, while the Bulldogs fall to 7-5.

Lindsay Campana (6-1) struck out a season-high 13 batters and held MSU to five hits in earning the complete game decision. Misty Flesher (3-2) took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings. Stephanie Becker tossed the final inning and a third for Mississippi State.

Claudia Cooper and Bridget Desbois both went deep for the Wolfpack, while Alyssa Allbritten added an RBI. Landon Warren and Alyssa Ishibashi both picked up singles.

The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on solo home runs from Ka’ili Smith and Jessie Bailey.

That lead got cut in half in the bottom of the third, as Ishibashi led off with a single and took second on a Warren sac-bunt. Allbritten later come through with a clutch base knock, plating Ishibashi with a two-out base hit.

Cooper put the Pack head with one swing in the bottom of the fifth. Warren singled and moved around the diamond on consecutive groundouts before Cooper went yard with two down to put NC State on top for good.

MSU had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the sixth, but Campana was able to induce an inning-ending groundout from Shelby Fisher.

Desbois extended the Pack’s lead with a solo job to left in the bottom of the sixth, moving the score to 4-2.

Chelsea Bramlett made things interesting in the top of the seventh with a two-out RBI triple, but Campana got a grounder to third from Jessie Spain to end the game.

NC State will return to the field at 4 p.m. to take on Iowa.