Northwestern Pitches Its Way Past N.C. State, 3-1

2/17/2018 6:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – First-year pitcher Kenna Wilkey was wonderful Saturday night at the ACC/B1G Challenge, throwing a 2-hitter with 11 strikeouts to help Northwestern top host N.C. State, 3-1.

Northwestern improves to 5-3 on the season with its victory while N.C. State falls to 4-4 on the year with its loss. The Wildcats and Wolfpack conclude the ACC/B1G Challenge at 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET tomorrow, Sunday, February 18.

The Wildcats took advantage of their visitor status in the game to score first, beginning their rally when Marissa Panko doubled with one away. Rachel Lewis reached safely on an error by the shortstop before moving to second when Panko was erased at third on a Morgan Nelson fielder's choice grounder. Now with two outs, Wilkey put a ball in play to third base that went for a single for Wilkey. The third baseman kicked it enough, however, that Lewis was able to race home and put NU on top, 1-0.

Wilkey took the circle for the Wildcats in the bottom half and found a patient N.C. State team waiting. The tying run walked in with two outs before Wilkey recovered to get a flyout to leave the bases loaded and the game tied, 1-1.

In the top of the fourth, Mac Dunlap, Sabrina Rabin and Panko walked on three-straight at-bats of six, 12 and six pitches, respectively. Lewis hit a grounder to short that the fielder had to dive for, throwing from her seat to get Rabin at third for a force out but allowing Dunlap to score to give NU the lead, 2-1. Morgan Nelson nearly made it a much bigger lead with a deep fly ball to right center field, but it was tracked down there and the Wildcats ended up leaving the bases loaded later in the frame.

Meanwhile, Wilkey continued to cruise in the circle. She retired the side in order in the second and third, then worked around a one-out walk in the fourth to keep the Wolfpack off the scoreboard following the first inning.

A Dunlap walk followed by back-to-back singles from Rabin and Panko in the fifth loaded the bases yet again, and this time Dunlap came racing home on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. Lewis scorched a liner at the shortstop, and it was gloved safely to leave two more #B1GCats on base.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, N.C. State finally recorded its first base hit against Wilkey courtesy of a triple to left field. Wilkey recovered to coax a soft fly ball to shallow center to end the inning and strand the base hit.

Wilkey reached 10 strikeouts for the game with two more in the bottom of the sixth, helping to strand a leadoff walk that began the frame. Then, after NU went down in order offensively in the top of the seventh, she worked around a one-out bunt single to close out her victory.

Wilkey also was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead NU's offense. Rabin and Panko both collected two hits apiece while Dunlap scored twice.