No. 3 Notre Dame baseball sweeps No. 25 NC State with 11-4 victory
Well, that answers that question.
After a 9-1 start to the 2022 college baseball season, Notre Dame (11-1, 2-0 ACC) headed to Raleigh this weekend to face easily its toughest competition this year in No. 25 NC State (9-6, 0-2 ACC). Would the Irish be ready?
They passed the test with flying colors.
On Sunday, the third-ranked Irish played their second game of the weekend after a Saturday cancellation, and they will leave North Carolina with a sweep, including an 11-4 victory this afternoon.
The Irish have won nine straight games and eight straight ACC road series. Additionally, Notre Dame is now 9-1 this year when they score first.
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Here are a few observations from Sunday’s contest:
Defense was the story of the day
Notre Dame entered this weekend with a fielding percentage of .992. That is No. 1 in the nation. They made several excellent defensive plays on Sunday, often from the infielders. The defense certainly helped keep the Wolfpack off the bases for more than three quarters of the game.
On the other side, NC State’s fielding percentage of .956 was last in the ACC prior to Friday’s game.
Just six of Notre Dame’s 11 runs were earned. The other five came as a result of two errors and several wild pitches, one of which scored two runs after a miscommunication with NC State pitcher David Harrison, who was slated to start Sunday but ultimately came in as a relief pitcher.
Outside of a rough inning, Irish starting pitchers continue to shine
Graduate ace John Michael Bertrand (4-0, 1.80) got the starting nod on Sunday. He was going to be the guy on Saturday before snow and wind canceled the game.
Bertrand started off hot, throwing a no-hitter through four innings with one walk and four strikeouts. Things got dicey in the fifth, as the Wolfpack had four hits and three runs, the last of which was knocked in by Notre Dame head coach Link Jarrett’s son, J.T.
Since he did not get the Sunday start, Austin Temple (2-0, 1.71) was available as a relief pitcher. Temple allowed just one hit — a ninth inning home run by NC State’s Josh Hood — in four innings pitched, walked one batter, and struck out four more.
Notre Dame entered the weekend with the best team ERA in the nation (1.41). That number will fall, but it shouldn’t be a cause for concern. The starting rotation will be just fine.
Irish have a strong lineup, top to bottom
First baseman Carter Putz led the Irish with three hits on Sunday, but the entire lineup contributed. Seven Irish players had hits, and although catcher David LaManna and shortstop Zack Prajzner went 0-3, they each scored a run after a walk and being hit by a pitch, respectively.
Putz now leads the team in runs (16), hits (16), RBIs (13) and batting average (.372).
It was an all-around, solid offensive effort by a team that has scored double-digit runs in five of its 12 games.
Notre Dame’s next game is its home opener against Valparaiso on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. The game will be on the ACC Network Extra.
