Softball Sweeps Doubleheader in Georgia

Friday, February 18

Athens, Ga.

11:00 AM

NC State

4-3

Marshall

2-4

NC State

Marshall

2/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 http://stats.gopack.com/sports/w-softbl/2010-2011/st0218-2.html

Feb. 18, 2011

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. - NC State softball opened up its second weekend of play in Athens, Ga., on Friday by taking a doubleheader sweep of North Dakota State and Marshall.

In the first game of the Georgia Softball Classic NC State (3-2) took down North Dakota State (1-5) by a score of 10-2. Alyssa Ishibashi led the way for the Pack offensively, going 3-for-3 with a single, double and homerun, scoring three runs in the victory.

Junior pitcher Morgan Peeler earned the win for the Pack, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out four in the complete game effort.

The Pack offense produced a run in each of the first two innings of play versus North Dakota State. In the top of the first, Ishibashi led off with a base hit and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Alyssa Allbritten. In the second, Alicia Abbott notched a single and moved around to score on a fielder's choice by shortstop Breanna Andrews.

NC State loaded the bases for Bridget Desbois in the third inning after back-to-back-to-back singles by Ishibashi, Toni Ann Williford and Allbritten. Desbois delivered, ripping a base hit to score Ishibashi and extend the Wolfpack lead to 3-0. The squad continued to bolster its lead, notching four runs off six hits and one error in the inning, ending the frame with a 6-0 advantage over the Bison.

Peeler plowed through the NDSU lineup the first time through, surrendering her first hit of the game to Nicole Rivera in the third inning. Rivera then came around to score off of a looping single by Elisa Victa. After three innings, the Pack held a 6-2 lead.

In the fourth inning, Ishibashi led off by belting a line drive over the outfield fence for the Pack's first homerun of the 2011 season, extending the NC State lead to 7-2.

Bethaney Wells followed in the seventh, sending her first homerun of the year over the scoreboard, giving the Pack a 10-2 advantage.

In the second game of the doubleheader, NC State faced Marshall (2-4) for the second time in a week, having battled the Thundering Herd on Sunday, Feb. 13 in Clearwater, Fla. This outing, though, was a successful one for the Pack, which earned a 2-1 win.

Abbott paced the Wolfpack (4-3) at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, while Ishibashi continued her hot hitting, earning one hit in two at-bats.

Kayla Cox took the mound for NC State, surrendering one run on five hits and striking out eight in the victory.

Desbois put the Pack on the board in the third inning, smashing a double to drive in Ishibashi, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame.

Marshall countered in the bottom of the inning when Alianna Telles hit a solo homerun, her first of the season, to knot the score at 1-1.

Abbott led off the fourth inning with a walk and moved to second on a hard line drive by Andrews. Tate then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Ishibashi then stepped to the plate and notched her fourth hit of the day, scoring Samantha Melton, who was pinch running for Abbott, to give the Pack a 2-1 lead.

NC State returns to the diamond tomorrow at 3 p.m. to take on Buffalo in the Georgia Softball Classic.