Notre Dame Baseball Keeps Winning, Takes Series Against Georgia Tech

The #12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team continued their excellent run of form this weekend, winning two of three against the #14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to win their sixth conference series of the year. Notre Dame now sits first in the ACC Atlantic Division and hold the best conference record in the ACC. Notre Dame was able to erase 7 and 3-run deficits on Friday night to win the opening game of the series. They then shut out Georgia Tech for the win on Saturday before dropping a close game on Sunday to finish the series.

Game 1: Notre Dame 10 (14-5, 13-5) - Georgia Tech 9 (14-11, 11-8)

Win: Joe Sheridan, ND (1-1)

Loss: Zach Maxwell, GT (0-1)

Georgia Tech started off hot on Friday night as they took a dominant 7-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the top of the first inning and two each in the third and fourth. Despite the huge hole, Notre Dame kept pushing and the offense began to claw their way back into the game in the fourth inning. Jack Brannigan drove in the first run for Notre Dame with a double that brought Jack Zyska home all the way from first base. Zack Prajzner then singled to drive in Brannigan to cut the deficit to 7-2.

Brannigan went back to work in the seventh inning, leading off with a solo home run. Ryan Cole then singled with two outs to drive in another run, followed by a two run home run from Niko Kavadas. At the end of the inning the deficit was only 7-6. Georgia Tech followed up the big inning from Notre Dame by scoring two runs of their own in the eighth inning for a 9-6 lead.

Notre Dame wasn’t done though, and they got right back to work in the bottom of the eighth. David LaManna led off the inning with a double and then scored on a double from Prajzner. Brooks Coetzee then reached base on a single and Spencer Myers singled to drive in both Prajzner and Coetzee. Three straight walks followed, with the first two loading the bases and the third from Carter Putz driving in the lead run. Joe Sheridan shut the door for Notre Dame in the ninth inning to earn his first win.

Game 2: Notre Dame 7 (15-5, 14-5) - Georgia Tech 0 (14-12, 11-9)

Win: Aidan Tyrell, ND (2-1)

Loss: Andy Archer, GT (4-3)

Save: Alex Rao, ND (2)

Notre Dame picked up where they left off Friday night, and took this time they took the early lead in the first inning. Ryan Cole singled and stole second before being driven in by Carter Putz. In the third inning Ryan Cole extended the lead with a solo home run. With the bases loaded in the fourth inning Niko Kavadas singled home Kyle Hess and Spencer Myers.

The Irish held that 4-0 lead until the seventh inning when they added two more. Jack Brannigan drove in a run with a double and later scored on a groundout from David LaManna. They scored their seventh run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Cole.

Aidan Tyrell started the game for Notre Dame and he completely shut down the Georgia Tech offense. He threw six innings, a career high, and allowed only two hits. Alex Rao threw three innings in relief and kept the Yellow Jackets off the board, allowing only three hits and striking out eight.

Game 3: Notre Dame 2 (15-6, 14-6) - Georgia Tech 4 (15-12, 12-9)

Georgia Tech scored first in game three, this time in the second inning. They brought home one run and loaded the bases against Irish starter Dominic Cancellieri, but Tanner Kohlhepp came on in relief and ended the threat. Kohlhepp ended up throwing 4.1 scoreless innings for Notre Dame out of the bullpen on the day. Notre Dame tied things up in the bottom half of the second inning when Zack Prajzner doubled home Jack Zyska.

Notre Dame took the lead in the fifth inning when Ryan Cole doubled home Prajzner. That lead held until the seventh inning when Georgia Tech tied the game at 2. In the eighth inning the Yellow Jackets scored two more for a 4-2 lead. Notre Dame wasn’t able to come back this time though, and Georgia Tech took the final game of the series by the 4-2 score.

Up Next

Notre Dame continues their has five more games left on their current homestand. They have a weekend conference series against the NC State Wolfpack from April 16-18, with Tuesday games against the Central Michigan Chippewas and Butler Bulldogs on either side of the series.