RALEIGH, N.C. – The Notre Dame baseball team was stopped short in a 7-3 final at NC State on Friday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Noah Coy hit a one-out single and moved to second on an errant throw on a pick-off attempt. Mark Quatrani then got the Irish on the scoreboard with a double down the right field line for the quick 1-0 lead.
Jack Radel retired the Wolfpack in order in the first, and the junior righty responded after a home run by NC State by striking out three of the next four batters as the game was knotted up at 1-1 through two complete. Radel and the defense forced the Wolfpack into stranding runners on the corners in the bottom of the third.
NC State plated a run in the bottom of the fourth before the Irish turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Irish drew even in top of the fifth as Bino Watters delivered a clutch two-out single to left field to drive in Drew Berkland from third base. Jack Radel, meanwhile, used a pair of fastballs to strike out back-to-back batters in the bottom of the fifth to flip the game over to the sixth. Radel then struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth to reach double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season and fourth time in his career.
The Wolfpack, however, scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to go ahead 5-2.
Jayce Lee gave the Irish a spark with a solo home run to lead off the top of the eighth to make it a 5-3 game. NC State countered with a pair in the bottom half of the inning to gain a 7-3 lead. The Irish comeback was unable to come to fruition in the 7-3 final on Friday night.
Noah Coy went 2-for-4 at the dish with a run and a walk, and Dylan Passo added a 2-for-4 effort at the plate. Jayce Lee belted a solo home run and walked once. Mark Quatrani had a double and drove in a run, and Jamie Zee notched a double and a walk. Mason Barth and Bino Watters each had a hit while Drew Berkland walked once and scored a run.
Jack Radel went 6.1 innings on the mound and shouldered the loss. Radel struck out 10 on the night, marking his third double-digit strikeout effort of the season and fourth of his career. Eli Thurmond went one-third of an inning, and Aiden Zerr added 1.1 on the bump for the Irish.
Notre Dame (15-11, 6-8 ACC) closes out the series against the Wolfpack with a Saturday contest starting at 1:00 p.m. ET.