BLACKSBURG, Va. — After not playing a game for nine days due to the final exam break, the third-ranked Notre Dame baseball team did not skip a beat as they defeated Virginia Tech (27-21, 16-18 ACC) 8-2 in the series opener Thursday night at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
John Michael Bertrand had another strong start for the Irish (27-10, 23-10 ACC) as he went the distance for his second complete game of the season. He struck out eight batters, allowed just one earned run and did not walk a batter in the game. With the win, he earned his seventh win of the season and it was the seventh start this year that went seven innings or longer.
At the plate, the Irish used a six-run fifth inning to break the game open. After scoring runs on back-to-back wild pitches and an RBI single, Jared Miller broke the game open. With the bases loaded and two outs, he tripled into the gap in right center to clear the bases.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish jumped out in front in the top of the first after Spencer Myers led the game off with a double down the left field line. He made it to third with two outs and Carter Putz at the plate. On ball four, the ball got away but Myers got caught in a run down and was ultimately tagged out by Kevin Madden. The play went to review and got overturned because after the tag was made, the ball fell out of Madden’s glove so Myers was safe at home and the Irish led 1-0.
Bertrand was cruising early on for the Irish. He allowed just one hit through the first four innings and six of his first 12 outs were via the strikeout. He set the Hokies down in order in three of the first four innings without allowing a walk.
The Irish added to their lead in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded and just one out, the Irish scored two straight runs on wild pitches. David LaManna and Myers scored on back to back pitches to increase the lead.
The Irish kept it rolling in the inning, adding x more runs. Putz singled to left to score Ryan Cole and then the bases were loaded again, this time for Jared Miller. He battled at the plate and in the 10th pitch of the at-bat, he cleared the bases with a triple to right center. After the six-run inning, Notre Dame held a 7-0 lead.
Hokies got two runs back over the fifth and sixth inning to cut into the deficit but Bertrand was able to limit the damage and keep the Irish ahead by a healthy margin.
The Irish got one of the runs back in the eighth after a leadoff double by Coetzee put a runner in scoring position. Two batters later, Zack Prajzner hit a double of his own into the gap in right center to score Coetzee. The run got the Irish lead back to six runs and thwarted any chance of a Hokie comeback.
UP NEXT
The Irish and Hokies will be back at it again Friday night for the second game of the series. The two teams are set for another 6 p.m. ET start and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra. The Irish will be throwing LHP Aidan Tyrell in hopes of clinching the series.
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