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RALEIGH, N.C. The Virginia softball team (17-7, 0-2 ACC) was swept by NC State (13-9, 2-0 ACC) in a league doubleheader Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack came back to beat the Cavaliers in game one, 3-2, and followed with a 9-1 win in game two.
In the second game, Virginia was limited to just two hits, singles from Clara Kendall and Lauren McCaskey, and scored its lone run in the first inning. Kendall led off the second with an infield single. A Snyder hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second with no outs. Nicole Koren walked to lad the bases and McCaskey’s RBI single to left scored Kendall. Snyder, trying to score from second, was thrown out at home on the play.
NC State had two big innings with three runs in the second and four more in the fourth. The Wolfpack picked up the run rule win after scoring two more runs in the fifth and finished with seven hits in the game.
Freshman Stephanie Coates (5-3) took the loss for Virginia, tossing 3 2/3 innings and allowing six earned runs on three hits. She struck out two and walked four. Sophomore Allee Rife came on to throw 2/3 of an inning, allowing two runs of four hits.
Mendy McKenzine picked up a victory in the circle for NC State. She fanned eight Virginia batters in the winning effort.
The Cavaliers dropped a hard-fought battle in game one, 3-2, as Virginia officially opened ACC play.
UVa struck first in the top of the third inning. McCaskey led off with a single to left field. The next batter, Casey Steffan, sacrificed her over to second with a bunt to the pitcher. With two outs, freshman Giannina Cipolloni came up big with an RBI single to center that scored McCaskey.
NC State tied the game at one in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Claudia Cooper hit her second home run of the season over the center field fence.
The Cavaliers responded in the top half of the fifth inning. Steffan hit her first home run of the season to left center to lead off the innings. It was the second home run of season for Steffan.
The Wolfpack took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Stephanie Call led off with a single to left. A sacrifice bunt and a Virginia error put runners on first and second with no outs. Landon Warren then grounded out to first base, but not before advancing the runners. Alyssa Ishibashi flied out to right to score Katie Mansilla, who came on to pinch run, and knot the game at two. After a walk, Bridget Desbois singled to right field to score Lauren Peters in what would prove to be in the game-winning run.
Senior Karla Wilburn suffered just her second loss of the season. She pitched six innings, allowed just one earned run, struck out four and walked one. NC State’s Lindsay Campana picked up the win, improving to 6-4, with 11 strikeouts and two walks.
The Cavaliers and Wolfpack conclude the series at noon Sunday.