RALEIGH – The NC State softball team picked up its first ACC win Friday night after defeating Notre Dame 11-3 in six innings.
The Fighting Irish started off with a bang as they scored two in the first to take an early lead over the Wolfpack. NC State was unable to get through the Irish defensive efforts and went three up, three down in the bottom half of the first.
Rachel Allen hit a homer on the first pitch of the second inning to increase the Irish lead to three. The inning was retired after graduate outfielder Rebecca Murray recorded a diving catch to record the final out.
The Wolfpack had a two out rally in the bottom of the second. With a 0-2 count, freshman MaKayla Marbury took a swing and hit it over the fence to put the Pack on the board. Immediately after, fellow freshman Amanda Hasler also found herself down in the count but drilled a ball over the fence to add another run to the board. NC State ended the inning trailing Notre Dame by one.
The Fighting Irish went scoreless in the top of the third, but the Wolfpack brought the heat in the bottom half.
Freshman Ellie Goins, Murray, and graduate Katlyn Pavlick all singled to get on base. With no outs and bases loaded, sophomore Hannah Goodwin hit an infield single and reached first on a fielder’s choice – Goins was tagged out at the plate. With the bases still loaded, sophomore Taylor Ensley was walked by Payton Tidd, bringing Murray home and tying the game three all. Freshman Nadia Sykes stepped into the box and with a full count, she doubled down the left line bringing Pavlick, Goodwin, and Ensley…
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