Saturday, March 7
Raleigh, N.C.
1:00 PM
NC State
15-6, 0
3
vs
2
Notre Dame
12-7, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Notre Dame
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
2
0
NC State
3
0
0
0
0
0
X
3
4
0
Softball Opens ACC Play with Pair of Wins Against Notre Dame
3/7/2020 7:30:00 PM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State softball team made a statement in its opening weekend of Atlantic Coast Conference play, sweeping a doubleheader against Notre Dame, 3-2 and 5-3, Saturday afternoon. The pair of wins clinches the Pack's first series win against Notre Dame since 2015.
Angie Rizzi was a huge player for the Pack on Saturday, knocking in two first-inning home runs for a total of five RBIs. Tatyana Forbes didn't miss a beat to start ACC play batting .600 (3-of-5) with three runs scored.
Sydney Nester and Sam Gress each tossed complete games, with Nester starting game one. Nester (9-4) allowed just two earned runs on two hits with six strikeouts before Gress (2-0) went the distance in the second game for her first career ACC win.
GAME 1 RECAP
All of NC State's offense came early as Sam Russ singled to lead off the first inning. Following a walk to Forbes, Rizzi delivered the homer for all three of NC State's runs.
The Irish's first light of offense came in the top of the third with a lead off solo homerun by Marquez. Nester quickly shut down the next three batters to limit the damage, successfully holding Notre Dame with just one runner in scoring position over the next two innings.
Notre Dame led off the sixth inning with a double down the left field line, eventually advancing to third on a groundout and scoring on a wild pitch to pull within one, 3-2. Nester retired the final three batters in order to secure the ACC-opening win.
GAME 2 RECAP
In her third collegiate start, Gress threw her second complete game in just as many weeks with a solid performance in the circle as only one runner reached scoring position in the first four innings.
The Wolfpack's offense once again came out strong early with a two-run blast by RIzzi in the first inning, followed by a two-run homer from Sam Sack in the second inning. NC State expanded its lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning.
Notre Dame took one back in the top of the fourth with their second solo home run of the day before tacking on a second run in the fifth following a pair of singles. Notre Dame's final threat came in the top of the seventh as it's leadoff batter reached on a walk, before being retired at second base on a fielders' choice. A double to left field cut NC State's lead to 5-3 before Brigette Nordberg turned a game-ending double play on a fly out to right field. Nordberg threw a perfect pass home as Sack tagged out the Irish's Abby Sweet at home.
OF NOTE
UP NEXT
NC State will look to sweep the Irish with a game three Sunday, March 8 at Dail Softball Stadium. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
Angie Rizzi was a huge player for the Pack on Saturday, knocking in two first-inning home runs for a total of five RBIs. Tatyana Forbes didn't miss a beat to start ACC play batting .600 (3-of-5) with three runs scored.
Sydney Nester and Sam Gress each tossed complete games, with Nester starting game one. Nester (9-4) allowed just two earned runs on two hits with six strikeouts before Gress (2-0) went the distance in the second game for her first career ACC win.
GAME 1 RECAP
All of NC State's offense came early as Sam Russ singled to lead off the first inning. Following a walk to Forbes, Rizzi delivered the homer for all three of NC State's runs.
The Irish's first light of offense came in the top of the third with a lead off solo homerun by Marquez. Nester quickly shut down the next three batters to limit the damage, successfully holding Notre Dame with just one runner in scoring position over the next two innings.
Notre Dame led off the sixth inning with a double down the left field line, eventually advancing to third on a groundout and scoring on a wild pitch to pull within one, 3-2. Nester retired the final three batters in order to secure the ACC-opening win.
GAME 2 RECAP
In her third collegiate start, Gress threw her second complete game in just as many weeks with a solid performance in the circle as only one runner reached scoring position in the first four innings.
The Wolfpack's offense once again came out strong early with a two-run blast by RIzzi in the first inning, followed by a two-run homer from Sam Sack in the second inning. NC State expanded its lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning.
Notre Dame took one back in the top of the fourth with their second solo home run of the day before tacking on a second run in the fifth following a pair of singles. Notre Dame's final threat came in the top of the seventh as it's leadoff batter reached on a walk, before being retired at second base on a fielders' choice. A double to left field cut NC State's lead to 5-3 before Brigette Nordberg turned a game-ending double play on a fly out to right field. Nordberg threw a perfect pass home as Sack tagged out the Irish's Abby Sweet at home.
OF NOTE
- With her run scored in the first game, Sam Russ enters the top-10 all-time at NC State in career runs. She now sits in ninth with 83. The junior is just six shy of Abbie Sims in seventh.
- Nester moves into sole possession of seventh place all-time at NC State with 23 career wins. The sophomore is just three behind sixth place, and six behind teammate Devin Wallace in fifth.
- NC State is one of three ACC teams (who has started conference play) without a conference loss.
- The Pack stole five bases Saturday between the two games, bringing the team's season total to 48. The 48 stolen bases already ranks sixth all-time at NC State and is 12 shy of the school record 60, which was tied a year ago in 2019.
- The win in game two is NC State softball's 150th ACC win all-time.
UP NEXT
NC State will look to sweep the Irish with a game three Sunday, March 8 at Dail Softball Stadium. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nester, Sydney (9-4)
L: Alexis Holloway (8-5)
Batting:
2B: Abby Sweet 1
HR: Brooke Marquez 1
RBI: Brooke Marquez 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abby Sweet 1 ; Brooke Marquez 1
Batting:
2B: Sack, Sam 1
HR: Rizzi, Angie 1
RBI: Rizzi, Angie 3
SH: Visser, April 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russ, Sam 1 ; Forbes, Tatyana 1 ; Rizzi, Angie 1
SB: Russ, Sam 1 ; Forbes, Tatyana 1 ; Rizzi, Angie 1 ; Farricker, Randi 1
CS: Forbes, Tatyana 1
HBP: Russ, Sam 1 ; Farricker, Randi 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
ULT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball#BehindThe20 with former Pack Stars Abbie Sims and Renada Davis
Wednesday, April 24
Softball: Players Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
Softball: Coach Leftwich Presser (2/15)
Thursday, February 15
EmpowHER with Aisha Weixlmann #Shorts #NCState #GoPack
Monday, October 16