Softball Downs NC State 2-1 In Walkoff Fashion

Wednesday, April 25

Greenville, N.C.

5:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

22-26

NC State

22-26

NC State

ECU

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

April 25, 2018 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – A freshman came through for ECU again Wednesday as Ashleigh Inae hit a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Pirates over in-state opponent NC State 2-1 at the ECU Softball Stadium. It was the second-straight contest in which a rookie has provided the game-winning hit.

Team Records
NC State: 22-26
ECU: 22-26

How it Happened
The Pirates hit into a pair of double plays in the first and second innings, but broke through in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Olivia Narron reached first on a bunt single to lead things off then stole second. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Tyler King moved Narron to third and Inae drove her home with a RBI groundout. ECU threatened further when senior Meredith Burroughs singled to center and redshirt sophomore Tate McClellan walked. However, a grounder to first terminated the threat.

The Purple and Gold menaced again in the bottom of the fifth when Inae singled and reached second base with one out. She would try to score on a two-out single off the bat of redshirt senior Alex Mycek, but a nice throw from the NCSU left fielder was accurate and Inae was tagged out to end the frame.

With one out on the board in the top of the seventh, the Wolfpack tied the game with a pinch hit solo home run by Lily Bishop. Unfazed, ECU answered in the bottom of the seventh when Narron reached on a fielding error by the NC State shortstop, reached second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on another King sacrifice bunt. Inae then put the Wolfpack away for good with a single up the middle.

Pitchers of Record
WP – Erin Poepping (12-12)
LP – Devin Wallace (11-14)

Top ECU Performers
Ashleigh Inae: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, Walk
Ashley Weingartz: 2-for-3
Erin Poepping: 7.0 IP, 1 Run, 5 Hits, 2 Walks, 5 Strikeouts

Top NC State Performers
Lily Bishop: 1-for-1, Run, HR
Alyssa Compton: 1-for-2, Walk
Jade Caraway: 1-for-2, Walk

Things To Note

Head Coach Courtney Oliver improved to 2-0 against NC State in her nearly three-year tenure at ECU.
The Pirates improved to 8-12 against the Wolfpack and defeated NCSU for the second time in three seasons.
Poepping tossed her team-leading seventh complete game of the season and has thrown three complete games in her last seven appearances.
ECU out-hit NC State 9-5 and had five of its seven leadoff batters reach base safely.

Up Next: The Pirates will play their final home series of the season this weekend when they host American Athletic Conference newcomer Wichita State.