RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team swept its Atlantic Coast Conference doubleheader with the NC State Wolfpack Saturday at Dail Softball Stadium. The Fighting Irish needed just six innings to take the first game before using the long ball to earn a 7-1 victory in the nightcap.
Micaela Kastor got the start in the circle in game one. The freshman threw her first complete game, logging six innings, scattering six hits and striking out three to earn the win.
The Irish offense went for 13 hits in game one, led by a pair of three-hit efforts from Carlli Kloss and Joley Mitchell. Karina Gaskins added a 2-for-3 effort with three RBI hitting pair of home runs in the victory. Leea Hanks, Brooke Marquez and Mickey Winchell each added a hit, scored a run and drove in at least one. Marquez drove in a pair.
Payton Tidd started in the circle, throwing all seven, allowing just one hit and tying a season-high with seven strikeouts.
Notre Dame’s offense utilized the long ball to score all seven runs in the nightcap. Hanks, Gaskins, Lexi Orozco and Mitchell each homered, Mitchell leaving the yard twice. Mitchell led the offense with four RBI and scored twice.
How It Happened – Game 1
The Irish wasted no time, jumping on the Wolfpack for two runs in the first inning. Kloss led the game with a lead-off double and scored on Orozco’s single to center field. A double steal by Gaskins and Orozco put two in scoring position for Mitchell who singled in Gaskins for a 2-0 lead.
Notre Dame added four more in the top of the second. A lead-off walk and an RBI single from Hanks got the inning started. Gaskins drove a home run to center field to drive in a pair and extend the lead. The Irish weren’t finished there as Orozco hit her first career triple and scored with a single from Mitchell to extend the lead to 6-0.
NC State got on the board with a solo home run by Katlyn Pavlick in the bottom of the third inning. The Wolfpack got another run with a solo home run from Haley Haislip in the fifth.
Gaskins got a rally started with a bang in the top of the sixth inning, leading off with a solo home run. With two on, Marquez doubled to center field to score two before scoring on an infield hit by Mickey Winchell to extend the lead to 10-2.
Kastor shut the door in the sixth, allowing a hit, but keeping the Wolfpack off the board to end the game early.
How It Happened – Game 2
The nightcap saw every run score via the long ball. After a single from Gaskins and an Orozco double, Mitchell homered to put the Irish up 3-0 in the fourth inning.
NC State responded with a solo homer of their own in the bottom of the frame.
Orozco and Mitchell went back-to-back in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1, Irish.
The Irish went back-to-back again in the seventh, this time from Hanks and Gaskins to extend the lead to 7-1.
Up Next
The Irish stay in North Carolina for their next three games. Notre Dame will head to Elon, UNCG and East Carolina for its spring break trip.