Notre Dame Baseball Wins Game Two Against Mississippi State to Even Super Regional

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team was facing elimination today in game two of their Super Regional against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and they responded with a terrific all around performance to tie up the series and force a winner take all game three tomorrow night. The Irish offense was able to keep their strong performances rolling, scoring nine runs, while Aidan Tyrell completely shut down the Bulldogs allowing just one run over 7.1 innings pitched.

Notre Dame 9 - Mississippi State 1

Win: Aidan Tyrell, ND

Loss: Christian Macleod, MSU

Things started off rough for Notre Dame, with the first batter of the game tripling for the Bulldogs and coming around to score on a sacrifice fly two batters later. Notre Dame was quick to respond in the bottom half of the inning though, with the bases loaded Zack Prajzner hit a dribbler up the first base line that he beat out, with both Ryan Cole and Jared Miller coming around to score on the play.

Both pitchers settled in after the first inning, and the offenses went quiet until Notre Dame struck again in the fourth inning. Carter Putz led off the inning with a single and Jack Brannigan walked with one out to put two runners on base. Brooks Coetzee then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error allowed him to reach base and Putz around to score. David LaManna was up next and, after bluffing bunt on the first pitch, hit a three run home run to left field to put Notre Dame up 6-1.

Notre Dame was back on the offensive in the eighth inning, again with the long ball. Zack Prajzner led off the inning with a single and Jack Brannigan followed by golfing a home run out to left field. In the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Cole led off for Notre Dame with a triple and later came around to score on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Carter Putz.

That was all the offense Irish would score, and more than they needed, and the pitching combination of Aidan Tyrell and Alex Rao kept Mississippi State quiet after the first inning. Tyrell threw 7.1 innings after going eight last weekend. He struck out six, a career high, and allowed only five hits and the lone run. Alex Rao came on in relief in the eighth inning and pitched the final 1.2 innings to close the door and seal the Irish win.

Up Next

Notre Dame and Mississippi State will face off in game three of their Super Regional on Monday night at 7pm ET. The winner will advance to Omaha, Nebraska and the College World Series.