RALEIGH, N.C. – The Notre Dame Softball team shutout the NC State Wolfpack Friday night, winning 3-0 to improve to 12-13 on the season and 2-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Brianne Weiss (1-2) was magnificent in the circle. Making the first start of her career, the freshman threw a complete game shutout, only allowing three hits on the night and striking out six.
Notre Dame has shutout NC State in the past 19 innings dating back to last year. The Irish have tossed back-to-back complete game shutouts against the Wolfpack including last year’s 2-0 win on March 24, 2024 (Alexis Laudenslager).
Paige Cowley hit her third homer of the season in the second inning to open up the scoring, a no-doubter to left. The Irish have now homered in seven-straight ball games.
Addison Amaral extended her hitting streak to seven games with an opposite field double in the first inning. The Irish shortstop leads the team with a .380 batting average.
How it happened
Notre Dame threatened early, opening up the game with a single from Sydny Poeck followed by a double from Amaral to put two in scoring position with only one out. However, NC State starter Madison Inscoe was able to work out of the jam, getting a pop up and a ground out to end the Irish threat.
Weiss trotted out to the circle, coming off an impressive 12-strikeout weekend at Louisville. The freshman struck out two more in a scoreless bottom of the first.
Cowley got Notre Dame on the board first, blasting a solo home run that cleared the left field fence easily to give the Irish the early 1-0 advantage. The junior is now tied for the most home runs on the team this season with three.
Weiss continued to work at an efficient tempo, inducing weak contact through the first time in the order. The southpaw had not allowed a hit through three innings.
In the top of the fifth, Notre Dame got back-to-back singles from Emily Tran and Poeck. After both runners advanced into scoring position, Amaral came up and grounded a ball that was mishandled by the pitcher, resulting in the second Irish run to cross home. Notre Dame led 2-0 after five.
The Wolfpack went scoreless yet again in the bottom of the sixth, as Weiss continued to shove on the mound.
The Irish added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a RBI groundout from Rachel Allen to give Weiss a three-run cushion in the bottom half of the inning. It was the 12th RBI for the Notre Dame backstop.
Weiss went out to finish what she started in the bottom of the seventh. She got a flyout for the first out of the inning before allowing a single to give NC State some life. But the southpaw dug in and got two weak fly outs to Jane Kronenberger in right to secure Notre Dame’s second conference road win of the season.
The Irish will look to win the series tomorrow in doubleheader action. First pitch is set for 4:00 pm and the second game will follow after that. Both games will be available to stream on ACC Network Extra.