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RALEIGH, N.C. The Virginia softball team (18-7, 1-2 ACC) held on to beat NC State (13-10, 2-1 ACC) 5-3 Sunday at Dail Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. The Cavalier win was the first conference victory of the season. Senior Carly Winger’s two-run home run in the top of the seventh proved to be the difference.
Fellow senior Karla Wilburn (13-2) picked up the win in the circle, throwing a complete game and allowing two earned runs on five hits. She also finished with two strikeouts.
Lindsay Campana (6-5) threw 1 1/3 innings for the Wolfpack, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. Mendy McKenzie came on to relieve Campana in the second inning, tossing 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on two hits with six strikeouts.
The Cavaliers outhit NC State 7-5. Virginia was led at the plate by freshman Giannina Cipolloni, who went two-for-three with two runs scored. Clara Kendall an, Abby Snyder, Lauren McCaskey and Casey Steffan also singled in addition to Winger’s long ball.
The Cavaliers scored in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead early. Cipolloni doubled down the right field line and Winger reached base after a walk. Sarah Tacke grounded to the second baseman, who flipped it over to the shortstop for the second out of the inning, but she overthrew first base on the double play attempt. Cipolloni came across to score on the throwing error.
NC State’s Allison Presnell tied the game in the bottom of the first with a solo shot to right field, her fourth home run of the season.
Virginia kept up the offensive pace in the second, scoring two more runs. Snyder singled through the left side to start the inning. After Snyder stole second, Nicole Koren grounded out and McCaskey singled through the left side to put runners on the corners. The next batter, Steffan, singled through the right side to score Snyder. Alison Pittman then walked to load the bases. Cipolloni recorded the second RBI single of the hitting, ripping the ball through the right side to score McCaskey as the Cavaliers took a 3-1 advantage.
Two Virginia errors in the bottom of the sixth led to a NC State error when Alyssa Albritten hit an RBI single up the middle to bring the Wolfpack within one, 3-2.
But Carly Winger’s two run homer in the top half of the seventh extended Virginia’s lead to 5-2. Cipolloni walked with one out to reach base before Winger blasted the ball over the left field fence, her fourth of the season.
NC State would not go away as Bridget Desbois lined a shot over the left field fence, just barely clearing the wall, brining the Wolfpack back within two. The next batter, Kristine Bechtoldt, flied out to center to end the game.
Virginia is back in action at Radford Thursday. The Cavaliers and Highlanders will play a doubleheader at 4 p.m.