Spartans head to Raleigh for midweek doubleheader at NC State

Alex Emeterio

Game 1
Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
UNCG (11-13)	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	5	11	4
NC State (14-12)	0	0	2	1	1	4	X	8	10	3
@ Raleigh, N.C. | Dail Stadium

Pitching
Win: Hennig (2-0) - NC State
Loss: Cory Mattson (5-9) - UNCG
Save: Cox (1) - NC State

UNCG Batting
2B: Kaitlin Merkt
3B: none
HR: Heather Robb

NC State Batting
2B: Wells
3B: none
HR: none

full stats

Game 2
Final	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
UNCG (11-14)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
NC State (15-12)	1	3	5	0	X	9	11	0
@ Raleigh, N.C. | Dail Stadium

Pitching
Win: Cox (7-6) - NC State
Loss: Josie Felix (4-4) - UNCG

UNCG Batting
2B: none
3B: none
HR: none

NC State Batting
2B: Desbois
3B: none
HR: Allbritten

full stats

UNCG (11-12) at NC State (13-12), March 23, 3 p.m., Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium, Raleigh, N.C.

LiveStats: Gametracker

Storylines

• UNCG will head to Raleigh, N.C., for a doubleheader with the ACC's NC State on Wednesday. First pitch for game one is set for 3 p.m. at the Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium.

• UNCG took two of three from College of Charleston over the weekend to open Southern Conference play, dropping the first game 7-0 before rebounding with wins of 5-4 and 4-0. Redshirt senior Kaitlin Merkt hit .500 for the series with a pair of two-run home runs. Junior Alex Emeterio also hit .500 in the three games. Junior pitcher Cory Mattson went 1-1 with a save, appearing in all three games.

• For the season, Merkt is leading the team with a .386 average, five home runs and 20 RBI. Emeterio is second with a .373 average and 11 RBI, while Jordan Jewett is hitting .327. Freshman catcher Katelyn Bedwell is at .316 Toni MacReynolds, another freshman catcher, is hitting .304.

• In the circle, freshman Josie Felix is 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA, while Mattson is 5-8 with a 4.67 mark. Sophomore Raeanne Hanks is 2-1 with a 7.50 ERA. Emeterio has made four appearances but has yet to register a decision. She has a 10.50 ERA but did not allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against College of Charleston.

• UNCG is just 2-9 against NC State all-time, but won the last meeting as the teams split a doubleheader on March 25 of last season. After the Wolfpack pounded out 11 hits and scored eight unearned runs in a 10-0 win to open the twinbill, the Spartans responded with a 5-1 win in game two. Emily Akiyama hit a solo home run and Eileen Horsmon went 3-for-3 in game two.

• NC State lost its opening ACC series over the weekend, dropping two of three to Florida State. The Seminoles took a 3-2 win in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, but the Wolfpack salvaged the split with a 4-2 win in game two. FSU won Sunday's rubber game 7-2.

• FSU is the lone common opponent for the teams this season. The Spartans went 1-1 against the Seminoles at their Seminole Kick Off Classic on Feb. 11-12, with Mattson no-hitting then-No. 23 Florida State 1-0 in 9 innings in the first game of the season for either squad.

• The Wolfpack has faced one other SoCon team this season, sweeping a doubleheader from Elon on March 16 by scores of 4-2 and 13-1.

• NCSU has four regulars hitting over .300 and is batting .285 as a team. Alyssa Allbritten leads the team with a .413 average and 20 RBI. Bethaney Wells is hitting .362 with a team-high four home runs, Bridget Desbois is hitting .360 with 18 RBI and Toni Ann Williford is hitting .312.

• In the circle, Morgan Peeler is 6-4 with a 3.50 ERA, while Kayla Cox is 6-6 with a 3.64 mark. Cox has struck out 111 batters, walked only 39 and has limited opponents to just a .214 batting average, but she also has given up a staff-worst 13 home runs in 16 appearances. Jade Henning has made five appearances and boasts a 1-1 record with a 1.11 ERA.

• UNCG was NC State's first-ever opponent at the Curtis and Jacqueline Softball Stadium, on Feb. 27, 2008. The Wolfpack took a 3-1 win, scoring three unearned runs in the fifth inning to grab the win. The Spartans' Mary Greenway led off the game with a double for UNCG's lone hit in the contest. The Spartans scored an unearned run in the sixth on a pair of walks, a passed ball and a groundout.

- UNCG -