Highfill Blanks Irish in Series Opener

No. 22 NC State (16-7, 6-4 ACC) opened its three-game series over Notre Dame (14-10, 2-8 ACC) with a run-rule shutout Thursday evening at Doak Field, 10-0.

Sam Highfill (3-1, 3.09 ERA) dominated the Fighting Irish with eight shutout innings on the mound. The Apex, N.C. native fanned a career-high 10 batters and held Notre Dame without a hit until the bottom of the sixth with two men out. Highfill finished the game with three hits surrendered on 110 pitches.

Matt Bedford (1-4, 5.60 ERA) picked up the loss for the Irish after giving up five runs on six hits and one walk over 3-2/3 innings. Notre Dame used seven pitchers on the night with David Lally, Jr. surrendering an unearned run while D.J. Helwig was credited with the remaining four runs, three earned, over just 1/3 inning pitched.

The Wolfpack broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Brandon Butterworth got the ball rolling with an RBI double to drive Josh Hogue home. Garrett Pennington plated Butterworth and Luke Nixon three batters later with a double before coming home on a two-run homer by Alec Makarewicz.

Hogue scored another run in the sixth inning. After leading off with a walk, the North Palm Beach, Fla. native moved into scoring position on a passed ball before scampering to third on a groundout. Butterworth brought Hogue home with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The final four insurance runs came in the bottom of the eighth. Eli Serrano, III led off with a single, moved to second on a beanball to Hogue, then scored on a pinch-hit single by Drew Lanphere. Butterworth drove Hogue home on a fielder’s choice. After Nixon got hit by a pitch, Noah Soles plated Butterworth with a base hit to left field that put Nixon on third base. One passed ball later, Nixon scored to put NC State in the win column.

The Pack will look to win the series with a victory Friday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m.