SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team heads back to North Carolina for the second consecutive weekend as the Fighting Irish are set to take on the NC State Wolfpack in a three-game series this weekend. The Irish are coming off of a hard-fought series with the Duke Blue Devils, having earned an 11-6 overall record and a 1-2 mark in league play. NC State is 5-13 and 0-3 in the conference and have undergone a coaching change this season.
The Irish enter the weekend having dropped two of three games at Duke over the weekend, but battled the 15th-ranked team in the country to the limit. Notre Dame took Friday’s game by a 5-4 tally over the Blue Devils before falling 6-2 Saturday and took the lead late in the finale Sunday before ultimately ending up on the wrong side of a 4-3 game.
Notre Dame hits for a .288 team average, led by freshman Mickey Winchell. Winchell works as the second lead-off and is hitting .368 in her rookie season, earning a .429 on-base percentage. Carlli Kloss, Jane Kronenberger and Payton Tidd each hit over the .300 plateau. Kloss and Kronenberger have started all 17 games, hitting at .309 and .305, respectively, each with a pair of home runs. Lexi Orozco lead the team with 14 RBI and four home runs. The graduate student infielder hits at a .275 average with a .383 on-base percentage.
The circle has been dominated by graduate student Payton Tidd. Tidd has worked in 53.0 of 116.2 innings this season. Tidd has a 2.51 ERA this season, striking out 50 hitters and earning a team-high six wins. Shannon Becker has started the most games in the circle this season in eight. The sophomore is 3-3 in 39.0 innings, earning a 3.95 ERA. She’s struck out 33 hitters and thrown a complete game shutout this season. Micaela Kastor has been tough out of the bullpen this season. The freshman has 10 appearances, eight out of the ‘pen. She’s earned a 2-0 record and two saves in 22.2 innings. She’s earned a 0.93 ERA, striking out 19 and limiting opponents to a .167 average against.
The Wolfpack enters the weekend the weekend at 6-14 after splitting a doubleheader with NC Central at Dail Softball Stadium Wednesday evening. NC State opened the ACC schedule in Blacksburg, taking on Virginia Tech and falling in all three games. They bounced back for a 19-9 six inning victory in the first leg of the doubleheader Wednesday, before falling 10-3 in the nightcap.
Rebecca Murray leads the offense with a .350 average playing in all 20 games. She is second on the team with four home runs, to go along with three doubles, a triple and 11 RBI. She’s added a pair of stolen bases and scored 13 runs. Taylor Ensley is the second-leading hitter on the team, driving in a team-best 15 runs. She hits at a .288 clip with 15 hits, five leaving the yard. Amanda Hasler adds double digit RBI with 11, hitting a pair of home runs and hitting at a .250 average.
In the circle, Madison Inscoe leads the Wolfpack with 44.1 innings pitched, earning a 4.11 ERA. She’s gone 4-4 on the season, striking out 22 hitters and allowing just nine free passes. Ryle Wyman chips in 34.1 innings, having earned a 7.95 ERA in her 10 appearances. She’s added 23 strikeouts while walking 21. Aisha Weixlmann has logged nine relief appearances in her 11 games this season. She’s worked 25.0 innings, picking up an 8.40 ERA to go with a team-best 30 strikeouts.
Up Next
The Irish stay in North Carolina for spring break as the squad will take on Elon, UNCG and East Carolina, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively before heading back to South Bend.