Softball Drops Doubleheader to North Carolina State Lose First Game, 4-2 and Second Game, 9-1
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RALEIGH, N.C. – Junior Meagen Johnson (Georgetown, S.C./Georgetown) had three hits on the day and drove in both the Chanticleers runs in the first game, but Coastal Carolina's softball team(19-20) dropped both games of its doubleheader to North Carlina State (36-22), 4-2 and 9-1, in Raleigh, N.C. on Wednesday afternoon, Apr. 20.
In the first game, North Carolina State got on the board in the first inning, as Heather Gelbard walked to start the game. A wild pitch advanced her to second, and she came in to score the first run of the afternoon on the single by Miranda Ervin.
The Wolfpack added to their lead in the third inning, the big blow was a two-out double down the leftfield line by sophomore Abbie Sims that drove in the second and third runs of the game.
In the sixth inning the Lady Chanticleers finally capitalized on its scoring opportunities, as senior Delane Grainger (Scottsdale, Ariz/Chapparal (Phoenix College)) singled to open the frame. Junior Sara Hostetler (Albuquerque, N.M./Valley) followed with a single of her own, to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third base. Grainger then came in to score on Johnson's single through the right side to cut the lead to two at 3-1
North Carolina State would get the run back in bottom of the sixth inning as a Tess Corona double plated the fourth Wolfpack run.
In the seventh inning, the Chants would again mounted a threat, as junior Kristina Sheppard (Galveston, Texas/Ball) singled to start the frame. Grainger singled to put runners on first and second with one out. After a groundout to the pitcher moved each runner up a base, freshman Allison Cantrell (McDonough, Ga./Eagle's Landing) walked to load the bases. A Johnson single brought in Sheppard to cut the lead to 4-2. For Johnson it was her second RBI of the afternoon. A walk loaded the bases, but a groundout to the shortstop ended CCU's attempted rally. As the Lady Chants dropped the first game 4-2.
The loss fell to Danyelle Gerdts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) who saw her record drop to 2-6 on the season. Megan Walthrop earned her fourth win of the season for the Wolfpack.
In the second game of the afternoon it was all Wolfpack right from the beginning as NCSU scored three in the first inning. The crushing blow was a three-run homerun by Jennifer Chamberlin.
CCU answered with a run of its own in the third, as junior Brittany Nelson (Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus) singled to start the third inning. Junior pinch runner Irene Finley (Wilmington, N.C./John T. Hoggard) ran for Nelson and came into score Coastal's only run in the second game on the Cantrell single.
NCSU added to its lead by picking up two runs in the third, two more in the fourth and and an additional two runs in the fifth inning to win the run shortened second game, 9-1.
Nelson took the loss for Coastal in game two, it drops her record to 12-6 on the season. The win went to North Carolina State's Brooke Isley who raises her record to 5-2 this season.
Coastal will play a pair of conference doubleheaders over the weekend starting Saturday, Apr. 23 with a doubleheader against Liberty at 1 p.m. And finishing up with a doubleheader against Radford on Sunday, April 24 at 1 p.m.
