The NC State baseball team struggled mightily in its weekend series against Notre Dame. After scoring a season-high 15 runs over UNC-Charlotte on March 28, the Pack was lifeless at the plate in a three-game series against the Fighting Irish, dropping two of three.
On Friday evening, the Irish (10-16, 4-8 ACC) got on the board first off a solo blast by outfielder Jake Johnson in the bottom of the fourth, following a pitching battle between senior Sean Adler and Irish hurler Brandon Bielak in the first three frames.
However, the Wolfpack (15-14, 5-7 ACC) quickly responded in the following inning. Junior catcher Andy Cosgrove singled to center field and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt and groundout. Freshman second baseman Will Wilson capitalized with a single RBI up the middle; Wilson leads the team with 22 RBIs on the season. Cosgrove came home and tied it up, 1-1.
Notre Dame would jump ahead for the rest of the contest in the bottom of the fifth. Two singles and a walk forced head coach Elliott Avent to pull Adler and replace him with senior Joe O’Donnell. O’Donnell then allowed two walks with the bases loaded and surrendered an RBI single, yielding a 4-1 advantage to the Fighting Irish.
For the remainder of series opener, the Wolfpack failed to execute with runners on base. In the sixth, NC State had two runners on first and second, yet a fielder’s choice and a popup would end the threat for Notre Dame; the Irish held on to win, 4-1.
The Wolfpack’s powerful bats were silenced yet again on Saturday, losing a tightly contested affair to the Fighting Irish, 2-1.
Notre Dame struck first again, this time in the bottom of the second inning. A sacrifice fly to right field with bases loaded drove in Irish outfielder Patrick McDonald for the 1-0 lead.
NC State received a solid outing from junior pitcher Brian Brown, who pitched a season-high seven innings on Saturday afternoon. Brown has been late to the lineup this season due to injuries, but he allowed just five hits and one earned run versus the Irish. Brown tallied four strikeouts in his fourth start.
The Wolfpack showed life in the latter half of the ball game, tying the score at 1-1 in the top of the seventh. Junior shortstop Joe Dunand led off with a single and advanced to second base off a sacrifice bunt from sophomore catcher Jack Conley. Sophomore outfielder Brett Kinneman then grounded out to right, advancing Dunand once more. Junior outfielder Brock Deatherage finished the job with an RBI single up the middle, driving in Dunand.
The game remained knotted at one until the final frame. Redshirt sophomore reliever Austin Staley entered for Brown and faced adversity in the ninth. With the bases loaded, a full count and two outs on the board, the Pack couldn’t catch a break when Notre Dame’s Jake Shepski singled to right just past the outstretched glove of Wilson. The single drove Irish infielder Nick Neville home, sealing the victory.
Sunday was a different story for the red and white; NC State’s bats revived in the ninth inning in a 9-2 triumph over the Irish.
This time out, the Pack achieved its first lead of the weekend in the third frame. Wilson singled up the middle and then advanced to second on a wild pitch from Irish ace Brad Bass. Freshman designated hitter Brad Debo stepped up to the plate and knocked an RBI single to left to put the Wolfpack on the board.
The diamond remained quiet until the top of the fifth when the Pack increased its lead, 2-0. Bass walked the speedster Deatherage, and then junior outfielder Stephen Pitarra singled to left, propelling Deatherage to third in scoring position. Wilson stepped up to bat and almost squandered the opportunity. The Kings Mountain, North Carolina native grounded out into a 6-4-3 double play that tagged Pitarra out. Luckily for the Pack, Deatherage scored during the infield action.
Freshman right-hander Michael Bienlien got the start for NC State in the series finale. The young pitcher impressed in his second career start; he conceded just five hits and held Notre Dame scoreless until the seventh inning.
Irish infielder Kyle Fiala doubled down the left field line and following a ground out and fly out to left field, reached home to bring the score to 2-1 with two frames to go.
The Pack pushed the lead back to two in the eighth thanks to clutch junior outfielder Josh McLain. McLain got on base off a single through left and advanced to third from a Debo single and a groundout from junior third baseman Evan Mendoza. Dunand would go on to send McLain home with a flyout to center.
The Wolfpack bats came to life in the final frame after battling through two low-scoring games. State scored a staggering six runs in the ninth to affirm the win.
Cosgrove doubled to left and was sent home on an RBI single by Deatherage. Wilson stepped up and doubled down the left field line, sending Deatherage home. Later, the speedy McLain reached first on a fielding error. Debo singled to left (junior Tommy DeJuneas entered to pinch-run for Debo) which advanced McLain to second and scored Wilson to make it 6-1. Following a Mendoza infield fly out, Dunand rocketed a three-run homer to left, bringing McLain and DeJuneas home for a 9-1 lead.
The eight-run deficit was insurmountable for the Fighting Irish in the bottom of the ninth, as they could only score once more, falling 9-2.
At the midway mark of the season, NC State baseball has disappointed despite sky-high expectations. Pitching, which has been considered a recurring issue for the Pack this season, was a strength against Notre Dame. This time around, execution and work behind the plate cost the Wolfpack two games in the ACC.
Currently sitting fifth in the Coastal Division, NC State needs to get its act together as it welcomes UNC-Asheville on Tuesday and Florida State on Friday for a conference series at Doak Field. The Seminoles are currently fourth in the Coastal Division.
