NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame (14-8, 7-6 ACC) topped ACC foe NC State (14-9, 10-9 ACC) 6-5 in the series opener Friday night after a complete game from junior pitcher Payton Tidd, who improves to 7-4 on the season, and whose home run decided the win for Notre Dame.
The Irish totaled eight hits through the evening, including a two-run homer from Tidd that proved to score the deciding run in the contest. Notre Dame kept scoring steady throughout the game, scoring at least once in four-of-six innings in which they batted. Junior Emma Clark, graduate student Katie Marino, sophomore Leea Hanks and graduate student Chelseaa Purcell each also notched RBI Friday, in addition to Tidd.
In the circle, Tidd totaled four strikeouts in the complete game, issuing just two walks through 7.0 innings. Allowing three earned runs, she posted a 1.82 ERA on the evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tidd started off strong, striking out the leadoff batter. After the second batter reached and advanced to second on an error, NC State scored on a subsequent error. Tidd was able to strand the runner on base and limit the scoring as the Irish went up to bat down 1-0.
Senior Abby Sweet doubled as the leadoff hitter, extending her on-base streak to a whopping 40 games. Stealing third, Sweet came home on a Marino single to even the score at 1-1.
NC State was sat down in order in the second, thanks in part to two Tidd strikeouts. In the home half of the second, Hanks delivered a leadoff triple, and sophomore Brooke Marquez later reached on an NC State error, scoring Hanks. The Irish were unable to add any more runs in the second, heading to the third up 2-1.
Both teams went scoreless in the third, and NC State led off the fourth with a solo home run to tie it up. Tidd and the Irish responded with three subsequent outs, and headed to the plate. Purcell led off for Notre Dame with a single, and Marquez delivered a sac bunt to advance her to second. Sweet followed with a single, as Purcell beat the throw to third. With two on base, Clark singled to score Purcell. Clark then was caught between bases in a pickle, and Sweet made it safely home, as the inning ended with Notre Dame up 4-2.
In the fifth, with a runner on second, NC State delivered an RBI single to chip away at the Irish lead heading to the bottom of the inning 4-3. Notre Dame responded, as after freshman Karina Gaskins walked, and junior Shelby Grimm entered to pinch run, Tidd went yard to score two runs, her third home run of the season. The Irish entered the sixth inning up 6-3.
After the Wolfpack’s leadoff hitter reached on an error, NC State homered to score two, but the Irish limited the scoring to that play, retiring the subsequent three batters. The Irish were unable to reach base in the sixth, entering the seventh with a 6-5 lead.
While NC State led off with a double, Marquez fielded the next ball for a groundout. With a shallow popup, Marino made an impressive grab on her knees, dishing the ball to Marquez at second to catch the runner off-base in a double play, preserving the 6-5 win.
UP NEXT
The two squads will return to Melissa Cook Stadium for a doubleheader beginning at Noon ET on Saturday, with the second game to follow. Originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET, the schedule was amended to account for anticipated inclement weather. Both games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.