The NC State softball team played two games at Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon, winning game one 9-4 and losing game two, and the series, 12-3.
After Notre Dame won game one of the series on Friday, the Wolfpack (23-20, 4-11 ACC) used three home runs to win game one of the doubleheader while the Irish (26-14, 9-6 ACC) jumped to an early lead in game two and mercy-ruled NC State.
Freshman Sydney Nester started in the circle in game one and threw a complete game, allowing four runs on seven hits. She improved her record to 12-4 on the season.
Redshirt sophomore infielder Randi Farracker did the heavy lifting at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a three-run home run in the first and an RBI double in the third. She finished with four RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman infielder April Visser and sophomore outfielder Angie Rizzi hit a three-run homer and two-run homer, respectively. That was all the offense Nester would need as the Wolfpack cruised to a win.
In game two, the Irish jumped to an early lead with a two-run home run from Cait Brooks in the bottom of the first off Wolfpack starting pitcher sophomore Kama Woodall. However, the Pack responded with a two-run triple from sophomore infielder Chandley Garner and RBI single from Vasser in the top of the second.
NC State’s 3-2 lead lasted until the bottom of the third when Brooks hit her second home run of the game, this time off of Nester, which gave the Irish a lead they never relinquished.
Notre Dame scored four in the third and then added six in the fourth off of Nester and junior Devin Wallace. None of the Pack’s three pitchers had a successful day in the circle, as they combined to allow nine hits, 11 earned runs and six walks without striking out anybody. Nester took the loss, dropping her record to 12-5.
Things weren’t much better at the plate as the Wolfpack only mustered two hits after the second inning. It all resulted in a 12-3 loss in only five innings.
The Pack returns to action Wednesday when it travels to face the Elon Phoenix at 4:30 p.m.
