Despite making it a one-run game in the fifth inning, No. 17 NC State baseball (9-6, 0-2 ACC) was unable to overcome No. 3 Notre Dame's (11-1, 2-0 ACC) early offensive attack at Doak Field at Dail Park on Sunday afternoon, suffering an 11-4 loss.
The Irish started fast, scoring four runs in the first three innings. NC State put up three runs in the fifth and one in the ninth, but Notre Dame's seven runs in the last two innings proved to be too much for the Wolfpack.
Notre Dame got off to a hot start in the first, scoring three runs off of as many hits and an error. After a groundout started the inning, Jared Miller and Ryan Cole tallied base hits to put runners at the corners which allowed Carter Putz to drive in the first run with a single through the right side. A Wolfpack error on a fielder's choice followed by an RBI groundout pushed the other two runs across in the inning.
The Irish tacked on another run in the third on Putz's sac fly to right field after Miller drew a walk and made his way to third on a stolen base and passed ball, giving them a 4-0 lead.
NC State's offense came alive in the fifth, collecting three runs off four hits to narrow the score to 4-3. A
Will Marcy single followed by an
Eddie Eisert double put two runners in scoring position for NC State, breaking up Notre Dame starting pitcher John Michael Bertrand's no-hitter.
Payton Green then drove in Marcy and Eisert with his base hit up the middle, and after a sac bunt put Green in scoring position Jarrett allowed him to score with a single to right field.
Starting pitcher
Matt Willadsen had a strong outing on the mound, throwing a season-long 7.0 innings and allowing just one earned run to score while fanning six batters.
A two-run error in the eighth followed by five runs on three hits in the ninth extended Notre Dame's lead to 11-3.
Josh Hood crushed a solo shot over the left center wall in the bottom of the ninth for his third homer of the year to cut into the Pack's deficit, but it wasn't enough to make a comeback.
LuJames Groover III, Hood, Jarrett, Marcy all tallied at least one hit in both games against the Irish over the weekend.
NC State returns to action when it travels to Elon Tuesday then returns home Wednesday to host Coastal Carolina in a pair of midweek contests. First pitch Tuesday is set for 4 p.m. at Latham Park while Wednesday is slated for a 7 p.m. start at Doak Field at Dail Park. Both contests will have a broadcast and an audio stream on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.
https://gopack.com/news/2022/3/13/baseball-pack9-drops-sunday-matchup-with-notre-dame.aspx