Game Thread | (G1) Notre Dame at NC State

Notre Dame (14-9, 2-7) at NC State (15-7, 5-4) 

When: March 28

Time: 7:00 PM ET 

Where: Doak Field at Dail Park | Raleigh, N.C.

Watch: ACC Network Extra (ESPN+)

QUICK FACTS

- NC State leads the all-time series 15-13 over Notre Dame

- The Wolfpack haven’t won a series against Notre Dame in Raleigh since 2018

- Eleven players have hit home runs for the Irish this season

- Notre Dame’s .983 fielding percentage ranks No. 7 nationally. 

PROBABLE STARTERS

THURSDAY

FRIDAY 

SATURDAY 

WHAT TO WATCH

Notre Dame will face a familiar team this weekend as NC State is similar to the Irish and Miami when you look at the stats. Both teams enter the series with enough offense to win two of three games, but will also need the pitching to perform a little better than in previous weekends. 

There is a chance for the games to be high-scoring, but both programs will need to stay patient at the plate. NC State has been a little more patient as they will take walks and have the least amount of strikeouts in the ACC. 

Notre Dame seems to have found two starting pitchers in Matt Bedford and Jack Radel, which has been needed. Bedford had a strong outing last weekend, registering a career-high in strikeouts with seven. Rory Fox will get his second start in a row and he’ll need to be a little sharper. Sunday’s start wasn’t bad for a first career start and should be a good building block for Fox as he moves into a new role. 

Alec Makarewicz will be the focus for the Irish pitching staff this weekend. He enters the series with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and 37 RBI to go with a batting average of .359. 

The good news for Notre Dame is NC State’s pitching staff has been up and down this season. NC State isn’t a high strikeout staff and has a higher ERA than the Irish at 6.84. 

For Notre Dame, they need to continue to work the count and continue getting hits with two outs. Last weekend was the first series where Notre Dame seemed to get big hits when they need big hits, so building off that will be a positive sign. 

The Irish appear to be close to getting the offense rolling as several players have raised batting averages in the last two weeks, but shortstop Jack Penney has yet to get rolling. Penney sits at .209 and it’s time for him to start to get rolling. If he does, Notre Dame will have al lineup that will be a tough out as long as they continue to cut down the strikeouts. 

NOTRE DAME LINEUP

NC STATE LINEUP

OFFENSIVE STATS (Entering the series) 

PITCHING STATS (Entering the series) 

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