RALEIGH, N.C. — The Irish dropped the series finale to NC State Sunday, 1-5. Starter Alexis Holloway shouldered the loss (7-6), while Payton Tidd also saw action. Miranda Johnson noted Notre Dame’s RBI on a sac fly to score Emma Clark. The Irish ended the day with no errors, while NC State finished with three.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Top First
Notre Dame came out swinging, and it paid off. After Clark forced a Wolfpack error to reach first, Abby Sweet trapped NC State at shortstop to advance both. The two took second and third on a Sydney Nester wild pitch, and Nester then walked Quinn Biggio to load the bases. Johnson fired a sac fly to score Clark, putting the Irish up 1-0. A strikeout ended the inning with an Irish lead for the first time in the series.
Bottom First
Holloway walked the first runner, who subsequently stole second. The Irish recovered, as Holloway struck out the next batter, and Abby Sweet caught a deep fly for the second out. After two more walks to load the bases, a Wolfpack double scored two for NC State. Emma Clark’s fielded fly in right field ended the inning at 1-2.
Bottom Third
After a Holloway strikeout and a tough infield pop fly fielded in foul territory by Chelsea Purcell, NC State singled and then homered to put the score at 1-4. Holloway struck out the next batter to end the inning, her fifth strikeout of the day.
Bottom Fifth
Payton Tidd entered to pitch for the Irish in the fifth. After a single and stolen base, NC State scored on a sac fly before Tidd struck out the final batter to end the inning at 1-5.
UP NEXT
The Irish will go coast to coast for the week, traveling from Raleigh to California. Notre Dame takes on UC Santa Barbara Tuesday, then travels to San Luis Obispo to participate in the ShareSLO Mustang Classic, facing Cal Poly, Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s.
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