DURHAM, N.C. — The No. 4 Notre Dame baseball team (21-7) suffered an extra-inning defeat at Duke, as the Blue Devils won the game by a score of 4-3 off a walk-off single in the 11th inning.
Brooks Coetzee III paced the Irish offense, as the right fielder drove in three runs. The senior hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the second inning. Carter Putz also had a productive day at the dish, recording two hits and scoring two runs.
Starting pitcher John Michael Bertrand battled on the mound, tossing six innings while allowing just two runs and striking out four. Bertrand managed to navigate baserunners in multiple innings, stranding 10 Duke runners on the evening.
In relief Alex Rao threw 4.1 innings in relief, punching out eight and giving up two runs on one hit and two walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish offense was the first to strike, as Notre Dame put up two runs in the top of the second. Carter Putz legged out a leadoff infield single and two batters later Coetzee III launched a two-run home run to over the centerfield wall, his eighth of the season, to give the Irish the early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the second the Blue Devils loaded the bases but Bertrand came up with a big strikeout to escape unscathed and keep the two-run lead intact.
The Irish again faced a bases loaded scenario in the bottom of the fourth but this time the Blue Devils plated two runs to tie the game at 2-2. However, it could have been worse, as Notre Dame turned a key 4-6-3 double play to end the frame and minimize the damage.
Notre Dame reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth. Putz hit a one-out triple to the right-center alley and then came around to score on a groundout from Coetzee III to give the Irish a 3-2 lead.
Duke once again answered, as the hosts hit a towering solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to knot the game up at 3-3 heading to the ninth.
The Irish tried to start a two-out rally in the top of the ninth, as Spencer Myers and Ryan Cole recorded back-to-back singles but Notre Dame couldn’t capitalize.
After a scoreless tenth inning the Blue Devils came up with the walk-off winner in the bottom of the eleventh. With two on and one out, RJ Schreck singled down the right field line to drive in the winning run at 4-3.
UP NEXT
The third and final game of the series is scheduled for noon ET on Saturday, April 16. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
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