East Carolina University
NC State
East Carolina Downs NC State In Raleigh, 7-4
March 22, 2016 | Softball
Box Score | East Carolina 7, NC State 4 
RALEIGH, N.C. - In its final game before opening American Athletic Conference play, the East Carolina softball team scored seven unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to record a 7-4 victory over NC State Tuesday at the Dail Softball Stadium.
The Pirates (18-13) out-hit the Wolfpack (15-15) by an 11-7 margin while the teams combined for 10 walks and 10 strikeouts. ECU left 13 runners on base as compared to nine on the NCSU side.
Senior outfielder Meredith Mitchell had a solid all-around effort, going 3-for-4 with three RBI while also making some spectacular defensive plays all around the grass. A total of seven Pirate batters recorded a hit with sophomore third baseman Karlie Smith and senior outfielder Nicole Cheek picking up two apiece. Hanna Sommer paced the Wolfpack with two hits and two RBI.
Junior RHP Lydia Ritchie (11-4) earned the win in the circle going the full seven innings and surrendering three runs on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts. Courtney Mirabella (9-7) was tagged with the loss after a 5.2-inning effort during which she allowed six runs on eight hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
How it Happened: East Carolina put two runers on base with one out in the top of the first, but a flyout and looking strikeout ended the early threat. After Ritchie worked around a two-out walk in the home half of the inning, the Pirate offense went right back to work. Junior first baseman Ali Ramirez drew a leadoff walk and junior catcher Alex Mycek followed with a base on balls of her own. Both runners moved into scoring position with two away, but a foul out ended the half inning. NCSU threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs, but Ritchie fanned Lana Van Dyken on a nice riseball to escape unscathed. Mirabella returned the favor in the top of the third, stranding the bases loaded full of ECU runners with a looking strikeout. With runners on first and second and two outs on the board in the bottom of the third, Sommer poked a single up the middle to score Molly Hutchison and give NC State the early lead.
East Carolina finally got to Mirabella in the top of the fifth. Senior shortstop Casey Alcorn doubled to left field to lead off the inning before she was driven home by a double by Cheek off the top of the wall in left center with one out. After Ramirez was hit by a pitch, a two-out infield single off the bat of junior second baseman Megan Quick loaded the bases for Mitchell. With the table set, the senior poked a 3-2 offering up the middle and scored both Ramirez and Cheek to give ECU a 3-1 advantage.
The Pirates poured on more offense in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on three hits and a NCSU error to pull ahead 7-1. Mycek and Mitchell delivered with RBI singles in the frame while the other two runs come across via a wild pitch and an error at short.
NC State mounted one last furious rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs with one out. Ritchie finished the job, however, stranding two Wolfpack runners on base by inducing a foul out to end the contest.
Bits and Pieces: East Carolina improved to 7-12 overall against NC State and 5-6 in Raleigh ... The Pirates notched their first true road victory of the season (1-5) ... ECU snapped a four-game skid in the series and avenged last year's 6-1 loss to the Wolfpack in Greenville ... East Carolina won for the fourth time this year when its opponent scores first ... The Pirates are now 11-0 when scoring at least six runs in a game ... ECU committed no errors for the 11th time in 2016 and is 8-3 in those contests ... East Carolina posted four two-out RBI in the game ... The Pirates won for the fifth time in their last eight games ... Ritchie's six strikeouts upped her season total to 115 ... ECU improved to 2-1 this season against members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Up Next: East Carolina returns home for the first time in over a month when it welcomes USF to Greenville Thursday for the start of conference play. First pitch at the ECU Softball Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.
