Nordberg establishing herself as a superstar

Sports

TECHNICIAN

PAGE 10 • THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Brigette Nordberg establishing herself as a superstar player

Jake Caccavaro

Staff Writer

It was a few weeks into her first few practices under new head coach Jennifer PatrickSwift that Brigette Nordberg realized her enormous potential.

The junior transfer from Maryland had never been a power hitter in college; she hit just two home runs in 91 games in College Park. Now, she’s hit eight in her last seven games and 11 on the season, third-most in the entire country, and was just named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Week for Feb. 25 through March 3 after hitting .750 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs.

“When I first got [to NC State], I thought learning a new swing was going to be hard,” Nordberg said. “The new swing adds so much more power… The swing works; it’s crazy.”

Upon arriving in Raleigh, Nordberg quickly bought into the coaching staff’s “home-run mindset” and embraced the idea of developing into a power hitter. Since buying in, she’s quickly established herself as not just a power hitter, but one of the best hitters in the NCAA, period.

“[Brigette] has just been locked in,” PatrickSwift said. “Her timing is on, and she’s done everything we talk every day about doing.”

Nordberg leads the Pack in almost every offensive category, hitting .451 on the season, with on-base and slugging percentages of .462 and 1.029, respectively. She also leads the team with 11 home runs, 23 hits, two triples, 27 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

“It’s been great seeing Brigette up there,” said sophomore outfielder Sam Russ. “It’s crazy to see how hot she’s been.”

The biggest individual recipient of Nordberg’s production has been Russ. The sophomore leadoff hitter has been on base for eight of Nordberg’s home runs and has been driven in by Nordberg ten times. Although Russ is more than capable of hitting for power (she has two home runs, a triple and a double), having Nordberg behind her has shifted her approach at the plate.

“My mentality now is I’m trying to incorporate the bunt a little more,” Russ said. “Making sure I’m swinging at good pitches, because the last few games, almost every time I’ve gotten on base [Nordberg] has hit a home run.”

Although Nordberg hits second in the Wolfpack’s lineup and has a power hitter in sophomore infielder Logan Morris (five home runs, .455 slugging percentage) behind her, the slugger is beginning to see pitchers throw around her, making the business decision to give Nordberg one base by walk rather than four bases by home run. Nordberg has been walked six times in her last five games, including three times in a row after hitting a first-inning home run in a 6-0 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday night.

“It’s frustrating because obviously, I want to hit a home run,” Nordberg said. “But if [pitchers] are going to walk me or pitch around me, I know that someone behind me is going to hit a home run.”

The junior from Exton, Pennsylvania isn’t built like a typical home-run hitter. With average height and a slight frame, Nordberg relies heavily on her approach and her new swing rather than pure strength, citing a 5050 split in importance between the two.

“I knew coming in I was going to buy 100 percent into [the approach],” Nordberg said. “But the swing is definitely 50 percent of my success.”

Her counting numbers thus far on the season would constitute a successful complete season for most softball players, but Nordberg isn’t one to get complacent with her early-season success. The ACC’s leader in home runs, slugging percentage, RBIs and extra-base hits is ready to keep her and the team rolling.

“I hope I keep going like this,” Nordberg said. “It’ll all come together. We’re going to shock a lot of people this year. I can’t wait to show the world what we can do.”

CALLA VEAZIE/TECHNICIAN Junior utility player Brigette Nordberg swings at the ball on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Nordberg had one home run and two RBIs. The Wolfpack lost 6-3 to Wisconsin.

Undefeated Wolfpack to take on Pittsburgh

Emma Sheppard

Correspondent

With the pressure of being one of four undefeated teams left in the nation, the NC State baseball team will play a series against Pittsburgh at Doak Field to kick off ACC play this weekend.

After coming off a three-game series takedown against Minnesota last weekend and a comeback, extra-inning win against North Carolina Central, the Pack (12-0) remains undefeated going into its series against the Panthers (6-4). Pittsburgh is coming off a 4-3 loss to Central Michigan last Sunday and a postponed game against Youngstown State.

As for Pitt’s 2019 season so far, the Panthers had a five-game winning streak up until their loss to Central Michigan, so they will be prepared to bounce back against the Wolfpack this weekend.

Senior Connor Perry is the team’s leading scorer with 10 runs, two of the team’s five homers and a batting average of .406. Close behind is junior Nico Popa, who has scored nine runs and has a batting average of .368.

Sports

TECHNICIAN

PAGE 11 • THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Wolfpack wins instant classic to remain undefeated

Will Thornhill

Correspondent

NC State came back to beat North Carolina Central 11-10 in 10 innings on Thursday night at Durham Athletic Park in downtown Durham.

The dramatic rollercoaster game was sent to extra innings and was ended by a home run from sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey in the tenth inning, giving the Wolfpack (12-0) a lead that it would not give back to the Eagles (5-8).

The Eagles’ bats started hot in the first inning when Corey Joyce, the Preseason MEAC Player of the Year, hit a solo home run to right-center field to give Central a 1-0 lead.

The starting pitcher for the Pack, junior Alec Barger, was pulled from the game early after only recording two outs, walking three and allowing two hits, including the home run. NC State head coach Elliott Avent called on freshman Baker Nelson to take over for the Wolfpack in a basesloaded jam. The Eagles’ Caleb Coyle drew a two-out walk off of Nelson to give them a 2-0 lead.

The Eagles extended their lead in the second inning, when Carter Williams hit a two-run home run to right field to bring the score up 4-0.

NC State got its first run of the game in the third inning on a single to center field by junior shortstop Will Wilson, scoring sophomore outfielder Terrell Tatum, which cut the deficit to a 4-1.

Sophomore pitcher Nick Swiney came in for NC State in the third and was efficient out of the bullpen, striking out the first six batters he faced. However, in the fifth inning, he ran into some trouble in a bases-loaded, one-out jam.

A fielder’s choice to second base made it 5-1, and the next batter for the Eagles hit a clutch three-run homer to give them an 8-1 advantage.

The Wolfpack came back in the sixth and added two runs of its own to make it an 8-3 game on a double to left-center field by sophomore David Vasquez, scoring freshman Vojtech Mensik and junior Brad Debo.

NC State was at it again in the seventh inning, when senior first baseman Evan

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Junior pitcher Dan Hammer was recently named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Week after allowing only four hits and one walk in six innings against Butler. Hammer is one of only six starting pitchers in the conference with at least 15 innings of work, and he ranks 13th in the league with a 1.76 ERA.

The Wolfpack will look to senior infielder Evan Edwards, who has scored 16 runs, four of which are homers for the Pack, and has a batting average of .373. Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough has shown potential with a stellar start to his freshman season, totaling 17 hits and a batting average of .354.

With a win against North Carolina Central on Wednesday, the Wolfpack’s 12-0 start this season matches the best start in program history, dating back to 1992.

Friday’s game is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch, Saturday for 2 p.m., and the series will end Sunday at 1 p.m. at Doak Field.

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN Sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey bats against Bucknell on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 at Doak Field. Bailey went 1-5 with two strikeouts, one RBI and one run scored in the Wolfpack’s 8-2 win.

Sports PAGE 12 • THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 TECHNICIAN Wrestling gears up for ACC Championships

Jaylan Harrington

Staff Writer

Redshirt sophomore Hayden Hidlay and redshirt senior Sean Fausz will attempt to repeat as ACC champions when NC State travels to Blacksburg, Virginia on March 9. The No. 10 Wolfpack went 4-1 against ACC foes in the regular season to secure a share of the dual conference title.

Several Wolfpack wrestlers went undefeated in ACC play, including Hidlay (5-0), Fausz (3-0), redshirt sophomore Tariq Wilson (2-0) and redshirt senior Jamel Morris (4-0), all of whom were awarded byes in their respective double-elimination tournaments. Four of NC State’s 10 wrestlers received top-two bids, including one-seeds Morris, at 141 pounds, and Hidlay, at 157 pounds. The two-seeds, 125-pounder Fausz and 133-pounder Wilson, round out the wrestlers with a match off.

At 149 pounds, three-seed graduate Justin Oliver draws six-seed Dallas Bulsak of Pittsburg, their first meeting of this season. This will be Oliver’s first time wrestling in the ACC tournament.

Three-seed redshirt sophomore Thomas Bullard takes on six-seed Tommy O’Brien of Pitt at 165 pounds. Bullard earned a 6-1 decision over O’Brien in their regular-season meeting.

Also in the third spot at 174 pounds is redshirt sophomore Daniel Bullard, who will take on the six-seed Robert Patrick of Virginia. Bullard scored a 6-4 decision over Patrick in their regular-season meeting. Bullard has secured victories in five of his last eight mat appearances.

At 184 pounds, three-seed redshirt sophomore Nick Reenan will wrestle Will Schany of Virginia, the six seed, in their first meeting of the season. Reenan has been nursing a leg injury during the second half of this season, but with the time off should be relatively healthy.

Redshirt senior Malik McDonald, the three seed in the 197-pound bout, draws the six-seed Brandon Whitman of UNCChapel Hill. McDonald scored a key 3-1 decision over Whitman in their regularseason meeting.

At 285 pounds, five-seed freshman Deonte Wilson takes on four-seed Tyler Love of Virginia. The two did not meet in the regular season, as Love won a 4-2 decision over freshman Colin Lawler. Wilson and Lawler have both seen time on the mat as head coach Pat Popolizio searched for a starter at 285, but a strong finish at the National Collegiate Open last week secured the spot for Wilson.

The tournament begins at 11 a.m. with semifinals at 1 p.m. and championship matches at 7 p.m, with live coverage by ACC Network Extra.

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Edwards scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 8-4. Then, on an infield single by sophomore Devonte Brown, Bailey scored to make it a three-run game.

In the eighth, Wilson smacked a double to deep left-center field to score sophomore Jonny Butler. The very next batter, Edwards, hit a single to left-center that scored Wilson, and a freshman outfielder Tyler McDonough sac fly to center field scored Edwards to complete the seven-run comeback and make it an 8-8 game.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Wilson hit a double to left field, scoring Butler and Brown, to give the Wolfpack a 10-8 lead, its first lead of the game. Redshirt sophomore Dalton Feeney came in to close out the game, but the Eagles put the ball in play, forcing NC State into two errors. A single made it 10-9, then a single off junior relief pitcher Kent Klyman tied the game.

Central would’ve won the game if it wasn’t for the throw from Brown that made it home in time to get the runner trying to score from second. Klyman was able to record a strikeout and a pop out to send the game into extra innings.

The leadoff batter for the Wolfpack in the last inning was Bailey, who hit a monstrous home run to right field to give his team an 11-10 lead. It was Bailey’s second go-ahead home run in extra innings this season.

In the tenth inning, Klyman gave up a two-out single but was able to shut it down. The Wolfpack was led by Wilson, who had a game-high four hits.

NC State is back at it this Friday when it begins ACC play with a home series against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

ADARSH P R/TECHNICIAN Hayden Hidlay, a redshirt sophomore in the 157-pound weight class, wrestles Brown senior Christian LaBrie on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack won 29-10.

JAYLAN HARRINGTON/TECHNICIAN Sean Fausz, a redshirt senior in the 125-pound weight class, wrestles UNC-Chapel Hill freshman Joe Heilmann on Friday, Feb. 15, in Carmichael Arena. The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels 20-14.

Sports

TECHNICIAN

PAGE 13 • THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Pack looks to start new winning streak entering Charleston

Anderson Brewer

Staff Writer

NC State softball looks to have a busy weekend, as the team will play five games in three days at the College of Charleston tournament in South Carolina. The Pack is entering the tournament following a 4-0 shutout loss to Valparaiso, putting its overall record at 11-7 on the season. That loss broke an eight-game winning streak that started on Feb. 24 with a 2-1 win against UMBC. The Pack will try and regain its momentum in Charleston, as five wins would have the team sitting in great position with ACC play approaching.

Friday, March 8

The Wolfpack will open play against the College of Marist, a private college situated in New York. The Red Foxes have the best winning percentage of the teams the Pack will face in Charleston. Marist’s record sits at 3-3 on the year, but having only played six games also makes them the most unproven. The Red Foxes will look to break a three-game losing streak against the Pack when the two teams meet at 10 a.m.

NC State will not have much time to rest, since right after the conclusion of the Marist game, the Wolfpack will take on Rhode Island at 12:15 p.m. The Rams will also be looking to break a losing streak of their own, as they have not won a game since Feb. 16. Losing six games in a row, Rhode Island will be a team desperate for a win. With the Rams having fresh legs by playing their first game against the Pack, this will be one of the trickier games NC State will play this weekend.

Saturday, March 9

The Wolfpack will open play on Saturday against the Bryant Bulldogs at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs come into the tournament with a 0-9 record, batting an abysmal .173 with only eight runs scored in nine games. This will be one of the Pack’s easier games not just of the tournament, but of the season. The game should fare as a nice warm-up for the team, as it takes on another opponent that night.

After the conclusion of the Bryant game, the Pack will face the College of Charleston around 8:15 p.m. The Cougars are arguably the best team the Pack will face during the weekend. Charleston will begin the weekend with an 8-9 record but will be using its home-field advantage throughout the course of the tournament. With six of their wins coming at home, the Cougars will be looking not only to compete, but to finish the tournament with a winning record. The winner of this game will most likely win the tournament, making this matchup arguably the most important for the Pack.

Sunday, March 10

NC State concludes the tournament with a 2:30 p.m. game against Youngstown State. Like Bryant, the Penguins have also failed to pick up a win this year. Batting an average of .166, the year has not started off the way Youngstown State wanted. The Penguins will be hungry for their first win coming into Charleston, so the Pack will have to come prepared as they wrap up the weekend.

EMILY LASKOWSKI/TECHNICIAN Sophomore outfielder Sam Russ hits against Campbell on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Russ went 1-2 with one run scored and one walk. The Wolfpack won 8-0.

Sports

TECHNICIAN

PAGE 14 • THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Five Wolfpack qualifiers to compete in NCAA Championships

BRYAN MURPHY/ARCHIVE Sophomore sprinter Dejah Arnold hands the baton off to freshman sprinter Gabriele Cunningham at the first exchange in the 4x200-meter relay at the 2016 Raleigh Relays held at Derr Track on March 26, 2016. The relay team placed 11th overall in the event with a final time of 1:39.05.

Leigha Bruce

Staff Writer

Five competitors from the NC State indoor track and field team have qualified to compete in the 2019 NCAA Championships that will take place March 8-9. The University of Alabama will be hosting the two-day event, and ESPN3 will be streaming it live.

Let’s take a look at the qualifiers from this year:

Cravont Charleston

Junior Cravont Charleston will be competing in the 60-meter dash with a personal record time of 6.54. So far this season, Charleston has broken three school records and won three of four finals, all in which he earned podium finishes. The junior has compiled two honors as ACC Performer of the Week this season, ending with a First Team All-ACC award. Last weekend when the Pack competed at the ACC Championships, Charleston took home the bronze medal.

Lauren Evans

ACC Women’s Shot Put Champion, redshirt senior Lauren Evans, has broken the school record twice as well as led the conference with three honors as ACC Performer of the Week. With a personal and season best of 55’3.75”, Evans was an easy selection for the NCAA qualifiers list. She’s sported eight first-place finishes in the shot put and has collected podium finishes in all nine competitions.

Jamar Davis

Competing in the triple jump, freshman Jamar Davis is proudly representing his class as the only freshmen to qualify for the triple jump in the NCAA this season. Last weekend at the ACC Championships, Davis earned silver-medal honors and walked away with First Team All-ACC credit. It was a big weekend for the freshman, as he also carried out his career-best jump by over two feet, recording a 52’6.5”.

Gabriele Cunningham

Senior Gabriele Cunningham will be representing the Wolfpack in the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 7.25 and 8.05, respectively. Cunningham was a 2018 NCAA All-American in the 60-meter hurdles as she holds the record at 8.05. Going into the championships, the junior sports Second Team All-ACC honors for both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles.

Elly Henes

Junior Elly Henes will be competing in the 3000-meter and 5000-meter posting a personal best of 9:01.72 and 15:41.63, respectively. Henes’ legacy with the 3000-meter gave her a silver-medal finish at the ACC Championships as well as first-team All-ACC honors. As for the 5000-meter, the junior broke the school record clocking in a 15:41.63 and was a 2018 NCAA First Team All-American.

These five members from NC State will compete in seven different events in hopes to bring home a title. In order to qualify for these events to begin with, each individual must have recorded a top-16 national mark.

Seeking Quali ed Eggs Donors.

Donors will receive up to $4500.

The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine is in need of women 19-32 for egg donation. Donors will receive up to $4500. Visit NCCRM.com or call (919) 233-1680.

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