RADFORD, Va. – Notre Dame (11-5) secured the 11-6 win over Radford (5-10) Wednesday thanks to a seven-run eighth inning. INF Simon Baumgardt hit the first grand slam of his career, while OF T.J. Williams also homered.
Notre Dame batted through the lineup in the eighth inning, the second time in as many games that the Irish have brought nine or more batters to the plate in a single inning.
RHP Nate Hardman (1-1) earned the win for Notre Dame, his first winning decision in an Irish uniform.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After one out, OF David Glancy and INF Connor Hincks notched singles in the first inning, but a double play ended the Irish run and kept Notre Dame off the board. In the bottom of the inning, a one-out solo homer put Radford on the board first, before an INF Jack Penney- Hincks-INF Josh Hahn double play ended the inning.
Hahn delivered a one-out single in the second, but Notre Dame was held scoreless for a second time. RHP Hagan Ward entered to pitch the bottom half of the inning, striking out one as Radford went down in order.
Williams led off the third inning with a solo homer to get the Irish on the board, and the score was tied headed to the bottom of the inning. Radford responded, as a two out single got a runner on base. With the runner advancing to second on a wild pitch, the next batter walked. A subsequent single scored a run for Radford to regain the lead 2-1. With runners on first and second, Radford attempted a double steal, but quick thinking by Penney turned the ball back to C Tony Lindwedel at home to tag out the runner and end the inning.
Baumgardt led off the fourth with a walk, and after an out, OF Brady Gumpf singled to push Baumgardt to second. The second and third outs came before the Irish could score. In the bottom of the fourth, RHP Davd Lally entered to pitch, striking out two batters as Radford sat down in order.
Notre Dame went three up, three down in the fifth. RHP D.J. Helwig entered to pitch to begin the fifth, and struck out one, keeping Radford scoreless in the inning.
OF Tito Flores led off the sixth with a double that nearly left the park, and Baumgardt followed with a single. Hahn delivered a bunt to force an error and load the bases. Gumpf sent a sac fly to center field, scoring Flores to tie the game at 2-2. Lindwedel took a HBP to load the bases again, and on a wild pitch, all runners advanced, Baumgardt scoring to give the Irish the lead. Williams walked to re-load for the Irish, and Penney hit into a fielder’s choice to score Hahn. The Irish took the field up 4-2.
RHP Will Jacobsen entered to pitch for the Irish, and took care of two outs before RHP Ryan Lynch entered with a runner on third. Radford homered for two runs, evening the score at 4-4. A fly ball to Williams in center field ended the inning.
The Irish sat down in order in the seventh. Hardman took the mound for the Irish. Radford led off their half with a single, and the next batter reached on an error. A subsequent single scored one for Radford, taking the lead. A sac bunt put two runners in scoring position, and after an intentional walk, a sac fly scored another for the Highlanders. Notre Dame chose another intentional walk before a fly ball to Flores in right field ended the inning with Radford up two.
The Irish came alive in the eighth and batted all the way through the lineup, the second time with nine or more batters in a single inning over the past two games. INF Estevan Moreno took a leadoff HBP. After a popup for an out, OF DM Jefferson entered to pinch hit and sent a single to center field, pushing Moreno to second. Both took another base on a wild pitch, and after a strikeout, Penney walked to load the bases. Glancy singled to score Moreno, cutting the Radford lead to one run. Hincks drew a walk, scoring Jefferson to tie the game. Flores followed by forcing an error, scoring Penney to take the 7-6 lead.
Baumgardt then stepped to the plate with bases loaded and fired a grand slam to left field, putting the Irish up 11-6. Already batting through the lineup, Moreno made his second appearance at the plate that inning and grounded out to send the game to the bottom of the eighth.
Hardman again took the mound for the Irish, and held Radford off the board to preserve the lead. The Irish were unable to add to the lead in the ninth, and RHP Radek Birkholz entered to pitch the ninth for Notre Dame. Birkholz posted three strikeouts on four batters faced in the final stanza, and the Irish secured their 11th win of the season.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame travels to Tallahassee, Fla. for a three-game series against Florida State March 15-17. All three games will be broadcast on ACCNX.