Box Score vs. NC State

ATLANTA - The third-seeded Maryland softball team beat sixth-seeded North Carolina State 4-3 Friday afternoon in the first round of the ACC Championship. Junior All-ACC Second Team player Bree Hanafin hit a walk-off RBI single to left to score the winning run.

Senior pinch hitter Lauren Ghent led off the bottom of the seventh when she was a hit with a pitch. Sophomore Sara Acosta bunted her to second, then junior All-ACC First Team player Vangie Galindo singled over the shortstop's head to put runners on first and third with one out. Hanafin came up next and hit the game-winning single to left for the winning run.

ACC Pitcher of the Year Kerry Hickey started in the circle for the Terrapins (39-16). She pitched 6.0 innings with six hits and three runs allowed, while notching four strikeouts.

The Wolfpack (26-23) took an early 2-0 lead when Alyssa Allbritten hit a two-run home run over the left field wall in the top of the first.

Maryland quickly tied it up. With the bases loaded, senior Marisha Branson hit a base hit to center to score the first Terrapin run. Hickey came up next and hit a sacrifice fly to right to score the tying run.

In the top of the second, NC State took the lead again with a solo home run by Alicia Abbott.

The Terrapins tied it back up in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, sophomore Nikki Maier reached on an error that scored the tying run.

The Wolfpack threatened in the top of the fifth as it had the bases loaded and two outs. Hickey struck out Caitlin Dent to end the inning.

Junior Kendra Knight came on to pitch in the seventh inning. After loading the bases, she notched a strikeout and Galindo and Maier each made solid defensive plays to end the inning.

The Terps will play second-seeded North Carolina Saturday in the first ACC Semifinal. The 1 p.m. game will be streamed live on The ACC Network.

For the full ACC Tournament bracket and more information, please visit theacc.com.