The NC State softball team couldn’t respond to the quick Notre Dame offense in a 10-2 loss in six innings at Dail Softball Stadium on Saturday, March 11.
The Wolfpack (7-15, 1-4 ACC) defeated the Fighting Irish (12-7, 2-3 ACC) on Friday in a stunning six-inning game by a score of 11-3 but was unable to bring that same energy to the field the next day.
The starting pitcher for the Wolfpack was redshirt junior right-hander Aisha Weixlmann, but the Irish came out swinging in the box from the beginning, taking a quick 2-0 lead by the end of the first inning. When it was NC State’s turn at the plate, the Pack was unable to gain the momentum back.
After another run from Notre Dame in the second inning, NC State switched out Weixlmann for freshman right-hander Rylee Wyman, who was able to hold the Notre Dame offense off the board between the third and fifth innings. Wyman and Weixlmann each recorded two strikeouts in the afternoon, along with only allowing a combined five walks.
This change wasn’t enough though as the Irish scored another six runs throughout Wyman’s time at the mound, and the Wolfpack coaching staff made another pitching change by bringing in freshman right-hander Wynne Gore in the top of the sixth.
NC State put a few runs on the board in the later innings off of two home runs, starting with a solo shot from graduate left fielder Katlyn Pavlick in the third to put the Wolfpack on the scoreboard. Junior first baseman Haley Haislip followed in her footsteps in the fifth inning to make it a 6-2 game.
Notre Dame responded quickly in the sixth inning and knocked in a quick four runs, which included a home run from Karina Gaskins. This explosion made the final score a dominating 10-2, which the Pack couldn’t respond to in its final at-bat.
Freshman shortstop Makayla Marbury had a great defensive afternoon as she recorded six assists throughout the game, and Haislip led the team with six putouts of her own while playing first base. Marbury also recorded a hit while at the plate but no RBIs.
The Pack’s series against the Irish will finish with a third and final game in Dail Stadium on Saturday, March 11 at 4:30 p.m.
