WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNCW concludes its non-conference schedule two hours up I-40 with a matchup at NC State at Dail Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday.
First pitch will be at 5 p.m. The game can be seen on the ACC Network either on television or online. The veteran booth of Mike Couzens and Carol Bruggeman will be on the call with live stats available at UNCWStats.com
The Seahawks, 20-5 (2-1 CAA) are fresh off a series win to open Colonial Athletic Association play against Delaware last weekend. The Wolfpack, 21-12 (3-9 ACC) seek to rebound after dropping two of three games against North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.
Freshman right-handers Emily Winstead and Kara Hammock continued to pilot the UNCW staff, combining for three wins, 23 innings, and 16 strikeouts last week. Hammock limited opponents to a .231 average across three appearances, two starts, to earn her second CAA Softball Pitcher of the Week honors of the season on Monday.
Junior Amberlyn Pearce locked down the final outs of two wins last week. The veteran right-hander inherited runners in the final inning against East Carolina and Delaware but escaped both jams to record two saves.
At the top of the lineup sit Tayler Vitola and Janel Gamache. The duo has left opposing pitchers flustered, totaling 59 hits through 25 games this season.
Vitola, a second baseman, is tied for second in the CAA in hits (33) and stolen bases (14) while Gamache, a do-it-all senior, is perched near the top of several school career records such as home runs (3rd, 23), RBI (5th, 106), and slugging percentage (2nd, .613).
Freshman Mackenzie Amodeo has added a punch to the heart of the lineup in nine starts this year. The Goldsboro, N.C., product is hitting .414 in 29 at-bats with a .517 slugging percentage this year.
The Wolfpack feature five players who have clubbed seven or more four-baggers this season, including Logan Morris' 10 round-trippers paired with a team-high .430 average in 33 games. The 56 long balls are the highest in ACC.
In the circle, NCSU is led by a pair of redshirt sophomores Sam Gress and Aisha Weixlmann. Gress owns a team-best 2.74 ERA in 61.1 innings pitched while Weixlmann has struck out 87 batters in 87.1 innings.
The Seahawks next continue with their conference schedule against James Madison next weekend. The Dukes travel to Wilmington for a three-game set beginning with a Saturday noon doubleheader on Apr. 2 at Boseman Field.
NOTES: UNCW and NC State meet for the 12th time and first time since 2019 … The Wolfpack are 1-1 against the CAA this season, downing Elon and falling to the Blue Hens … The Seahawks are 3-1 against opponents from the state of North Carolina … Vitola carries a four-game hit streak into Tuesday … UNCW has authored 31 multi-RBI games this season … The Seahawks are hitting .350 (75-of-214) with RISP … UNCW has 34 two-out RBI … UNCW has a lead-off hit in 62 innings this season.
