SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The eighth-ranked Notre Dame baseball team (31-10, 15-8 ACC) clinched another ACC series after the 8-1 win over Pitt (26-22, 12-13 ACC) Saturday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium. The Irish allowed three runs or less for the 22nd time this season and improved to 22-0 in those games as they won their sixth ACC series.
Austin Temple was dealing early on the mound for the Irish. He set a career high with 10 strikeouts and they all came in the first four innings. He struck out two in the first and second and then struck out three in the third and fourth inning. Will Mercer got the win after 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just two hits and no walks during his outing.
At the plate, the Irish were balanced throughout the lineup as nine different players got a hit and the Irish scored in five of the eight innings at the plate. A trio of Irish led the way with two hits in Jack Penney, David LaManna and Zack Prajzner. Prajzner and LaManna both led the team with two runs scored each.
How It Happened
The Irish jumped out in front in the second inning after they started the inning with three straight hits. After LaManna singled, Jack Brannigan doubled into the gap into left center and LaManna scored from first for the first run of the game. Jared Miller doubled into the gap in right center to score Brannigan and the Irish led 2-0 after two.
The Panthers got a run back in the top of the third but the Irish struck back in the bottom of the fifth.
The Irish scored three in the inning and it all started with three straight hits. Penney doubled and Prajzner beat out an infield bunt single and the Irish had runners on the corner with nobody out. Spencer Myers beat out an infield single to first and Penney scored on the play. Prajzner scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Brooks Coetzee III. The final run came home on a two-out RBI single from Carter Putz that scored Myers. After five full innings, the Irish led 5-1.
Notre Dame added insurance runs in each of the final three innings at the plate. Prajzner doubled into the gap in left center in the sixth and LaManna scored. LaManna singled in the seventh and scored Zyska on the play. In the eighth, Prajzner scored on a sacrifice fly from TJ Williams.
Matt Bedford came on for his second appearance of the season to close the door in the ninth. He struck out three in the ninth to put the game to rest. The Irish struck out the Panthers 16 times in the game, the third time this season the pitching staff has had 16 or more strikeouts in a game.
Up Next
The Irish will look to sweep the series on Sunday in the regular season finale from Frank Eck Stadium. The third and final game of the series will start at Noon and will be aired nationally on the ACC Network. Admission is free for all fans during the regular season at Frank Eck Stadium.
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