Talley Dazzles in Debut Against Lamar; Pack Falls to #16/13 Tigers

Thursday, February 5

Baton Rouge, LA

4:30pm

NC State

1-0

Lamar

0-1

Lamar

NC State

Talley Dazzles in Debut Against Lamar; Pack Falls to #16/13 Tigers

2/5/2026 9:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BATON ROUGE, La. – NC State softball freshman Morgen Talley went 2-for-3 at the plate and picked up six strikeouts in the Pack's season opening win over Lamar before dropping a five-inning battle to the No. 16/13 LSU Tigers on opening day of the 2026 season.

After earning the start in the circle for the season opener to make her collegiate debut, Talley smashed a homer to left center field to put the Wolfpack on the board in the first inning against the Cardinals.

The Pack would later drop a five inning battle to LSU, 11-3, after defensive struggles.

NC State 7, Lamar 1
How it Went Down

Freshman Morgen Talley made her collegiate debut in the circle and picked up her first K in the first inning.
Senior Maia Townsend recorded the first hit of the season for the Wolfpack when she ledoff the bottom of the first with a single up the middle.
In the top half of the second, Talley struck out an additional three batters in the second, moving her total to four and hit a solo shot to left center in her first at bat in the bottom to put the Pack on the board.
Sophomore Kendall Simmers doubled to left center in the bottom of the third to get the squad rolling. Senior Hannah Church and junior Sarah Johnson both earned walks to load the bases for Talley. The freshman single to right to drive home two.
Sophomore Taryn Massey saw a four pitch walk to load the bases for freshman Carly Short who would also earn a walk, bringing home one.
Townsend would then earn a walk allowing Talley to score and Massey would steal home to add another one on the board before Short was caught stealing to end the third inning.
Redshirt-junior Wynne Gore entered in relief in the top of the sixth and struck out the first batter faced.
Lamar scored its lone run in the top of the seventh after Kalie Amos doubled to left center.
The Pack won 7-1 and Talley picked up her first win of the season in the circle.
Talley went 2-for-3 at the plate and picked up three RBIs. She also threw five complete innings, grabbing six strikeouts and only giving up one hit.
Short went 2-for-2 from the batter's box and finished with one RBI.
The win marked the 13^th season opener won in program history and the 56^th win under head coach Lindsay Leftwich.

#16/13 LSU 11, NC State 3 (5 innings)
How it Went Down

Graduate pitcher Charli Orsini started in the circle for the Pack. She threw 1.2 innings before senior Rylee Wyman entered in relief in the bottom of the second.
The Tigers posted six runs on the board in the first two innings. Three doubles, a single and an RBI ground out allowed LSU to take a 7-0 lead.
Massey scored on a wild pitch in the top of the third to get the Wolfpack on the board.
LSU posted an additional three runs in the third inning after a triple by Alix Franklin and an error by the Wolfpack defense allowed runners to score.
Senior Hannah Church smashed her first homer of the season, 224ft to dead-center, to lead off the top of the fourth and minimized the deficit to seven (2-9).
Char Lorenz singled in the bottom of the fourth to give the Tigers their 10^th run of the evening. The Tigers added their 11^th and final run after Jalia Lassiter was walked with bases loaded, allowing Ally Hutchins to score.
Short led off the fifth inning with her second freebie of the game when she was hit by pitch. Simmers would later single to left to drive home Short and give the Pack a third run.
LSU won 11-3 in five innings, moving the Pack to 1-1 on the season.

Up Next
The Wolfpack returns to Tiger Park on Friday, Feb. 6 at 6:30pm to take on the #16/13 Tigers once again. The game will be streamed on SECN+.