SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The 13th-ranked Notre Dame baseball team’s (25-8, 10-7) hot hitting continued in the 21-3 win over Wake Forest (28-11, 10-10) to clinch the series Saturday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium. The Irish scored in each of the first four innings to jump out to a big lead they would not relinquish.
Home runs were key as the Irish hit four in the offensive outburst on Sunday. David LaManna hit his first home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the first inning as the Irish scored four in the frame. In the third, Jack Brannigan hit his three-run homer, his fifth of the year, to put the game out of reach. Later on in the sixth, Zack Prajzner and Brady Gumpf both hit two-run homers in the inning. Prajzner hit his second home run of the season while Gumpf hit his first career home run.
The 21 runs are the most the Irish have scored in a game this season and set the program record for most runs in an ACC game. It is the most runs scored in a game since the South Bend Regional when they scored 26 against UConn.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish wasted no time getting in front on Saturday, putting a crooked number on the scoreboard in the opening frame. With two runners on, Brooks Coetzee III hit a blooper into center and scored Nick Juaire from second. Later in the inning, LaManna uncorked his three-run blast well up the wind screen in left field. It was LaManna’s first home run of the season and the Irish led 4-0.
Wake Forest started to claw back in the second as the Demon Deacons scored their first run of the game off a solo home run.
The Irish got the run right back in the bottom of the second. Juaire brought Zack Prajzner home on a ground out and the Irish led 5-1 after two.
The Irish added on in the third with another home run. Brannigan hit a three-run shot of his own to left to score Jared Miller and LaManna. His fifth home run of the season put the Irish up 8-1 after three.
The bats kept it going in the fourth inning as they put up their third crooked number of the game. LaManna continued his career day with an RBI single through the left side that scored two on the play. Miller stepped in next and roped a double down the right field line that scored one. The final run of the inning came from Ryan Cole as he legged out an infield single to score LaManna. After four innings in the book, Notre Dame held a 12-1 lead.
Wake got two runs back between the fifth and sixth innings but the Irish offense continued to work in the sixth. The Irish had their biggest inning at the plate with the five runs scored. Prajzner and Gumpf both hit home runs in the inning to bring the team total to four on the day.
The Irish added three more runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to round out the scoring. They scored in all but one inning while at the plate. Putz led the team as he tied a career-high with four hits. LaManna set a career high with five RBI.
UP NEXT
The Irish will go for the series sweep when the teams meet for the final time on Sunday. The series finale has been moved up to 11 a.m. ET due to the threat of inclement weather later in the day. The game will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra and admission is free for all fans at Frank Eck Stadium this season.
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