Softball ACCtion: Sunday, April 13 :: NC State outlasts Maryland with walk-off single; Georgia Tech wins first conference series of season; Virginia Tech and North Carolina win.

April 14, 2008

Davis' Walk Off Single Sinks Terps on Senior Day

RALEIGH, N.C. - A bases loaded two-out single from Ashleigh Davis in the bottom of the seventh capped a memorable 7-6 Senior Day win for NC State over Maryland on Sunday, April 13, at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium. The Pack led 6-0 heading into the seventh, but the Terps tied the score before Davis' late inning heroics shut the door on the game.

The win moves the red and white to 25-20 (8-7 ACC), while Maryland falls to 30-12 (5-7 ACC). The all-time series between the two programs is now dead-even at 7-each.

"I was proud of the way that our players weathered the seventh inning and stayed with it," said head coach Lisa Navas. "Shanna Smith had an incredible weekend, and I am so proud of the way Ashleigh Davis was able to come through with such a clutch hit in a crucial situation."

Georgia Tech Takes Down Florida State 6-2 For Series Win

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Senior Whitney Humphreys pitched a complete-game five-hitter as the Georgia Tech Softball Team (21-27, 4-10 ACC) downed Florida State (32-19, 8-7) 6-2 Sunday afternoon to win its first ACC series of the season. Senior Brittany Barnes hit her team-high ninth home run of the season as she went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI.

"I am very pleased with how we played this weekend," head coach Sharon Perkins said. "It was especially pleasing to see them not have an emotional let-down after the Georgia games and carry the momentum into the weekend. Now, we can look forward to some home games the rest of the regular season and continuing to build on this."

The Yellow Jackets had a chance to score in the first inning against FSU pitcher Terese Gober. Senior Aileen Morales hit the first pitch of the game up the middle for a single and then stole second base. After Gober struck out both freshman Christy Jones and senior Savannah Brown, junior Blair Shimandle reached on an infield single putting two on with two outs. Shimandle stole second base as well, but junior Whitney Haller grounded out with two runners in scoring position ending the threat.

Tincher Ties ACC Career Wins Mark in 3-0 Win Over Boston College

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Virginia Tech softball team completed a three-game sweep of Boston College with a 3-0 win Sunday at Shea Field on a day when Angela Tincher tied the conference career wins mark.

After a slow start at the plate, the Hokies finally put a string of hits together in the sixth inning to break open a scoreless game. Jenna Rhodes singled up the middle and stole second base. She moved up to third base on Erin Ota's single to left field and then Ota, too, stole second base. Charisse Mariconda drove in the first run with a shallow single to right field and then stole second base to put two runners on for senior catcher Kelsey Hoffman. Hoffman ripped her eighth double in ACC competition to the fence in center to allow Ota to score. Mariconda also scored on the play when BC catcher Amy Tunstall dropped the ball at the plate on the collision.

With the win, Tincher (23-5) tied the ACC record for career victories and now sits tied with Georgia Tech's Jessica Sallinger with 108 wins. The senior All-American went the distance, allowing just one infield hit with 14 more strikeouts. For the weekend, she picked up 40 strikeouts and now sits 114 away from her 2,000th career K.

No. 15 Tar Heels Roll Cavaliers, 7-1

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 15 Tar Heels (40-8-1, 13-1 ACC) continued to put up runs at Virginia on Sunday as Carolina cruised to a 7-1 win over the host Cavaliers. The Tar Heels pounded out 24 runs in the three-game series and were led by Breanna Brown who was 7 for 12 on the weekend, including 3 for 5 on Sunday. Danielle Spaulding got the win for Carolina in the circle as she rung up 14 batters for her 12th win of the year. The win improves Carolina to 40-8-1 on the year as the Tar Heels reach the 40-win plateau for the ninth time in school history.

Brown led off the game with a double to right field gap and then moved to third following a sacrifice bunt but was unable to score the game's opening run as she was stranded at third to end the inning. The Tar Heels made sure a similar situation did not occur in the top of the second as they put three runs on the board. Back-to-back free passes to Anna Roberts and Whitney Allen put a pair of runners on with nobody out, but after a pair of outs were recorded Roberts and Allen were still at first and second. An illegal pitch put both runners in scoring position for the hot-hitting Brown and she more than delivered by dropping a double down the left field line to make the score 2-0. Cassie Palmer made it a quick 3-0 lead as she singled to center to score Brown and make it 3-0.