April 29, 2018
By Michael Scholl
NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Two runs in the eighth inning gave the Notre Dame baseball team a 5-4, come-from-behind victory over Boston College on Sunday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium. The win clinched a key ACC series for the Irish as the regular season enters the home stretch.
Niko Kavadas and Eric Gilgenbach each had an RBI in Notre Dame’s two-run eighth. That was enough for Cole Kmet to finish the Eagles off in the ninth to earn his second victory of the weekend, the first two career victories for the rookie southpaw.
Gilgenbach was 2-for-4 for the Irish, the only Notre Dame player with multiple hits in the game, while contributing three RBI. In addition to knocking in the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth, Gilgenbach crushed a two-run homer in the fourth. Gilgenbach also made an impressive catch in the top of the ninth, snaring a flyball as he crashed into the right field wall. Kavadas capped an outstanding weekend by going 1-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored. Nick Podkul had the remaining RBI for the Irish while going 1-for-4 with a double and scoring himself.
Tommy Vail kept the Irish in it making his first career start. The freshman worked three innings, allowing three earned runs to go along with six strikeouts. Andrew Belcik and Kmet were both outstanding in relief. Belcik threw 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run with three strikeouts. Kmet worked the final 2.2 innings without allowing a hit.
The victory moves the Irish to 10-14 in ACC play as they prepare to host Pitt next weekend. That keeps the Irish ahead of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Boston College in the loss column, and just one loss behind Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Miami, as teams look to ensure a top-12 finish in the league to qualify for the ACC Championship.
How It Happened
The Irish struck quickly in the first when Johnson drew a one-out walk, then Podkul doubled him home off the top of the wall in left. Notre Dame was held to one run, as Rapp got a popout and flyout to end the inning.
Boston College solved Vail in the third. Dante Baldelli started the inning with a double to right-center before advancing to third on a flyout. Chris Galland singled home Baldelli to tie the game, 1-1, before stealing second and scoring on a single by Jack Cunningham. Gian Martellini doubled off the wall in center, putting runners at second and third, before Vail hit Anthony Maselli to load the bases. After a strikeout, Vail walked Brian Dempsey to score Cunningham and make it 3-1. Jake Alu flew out to end the frame.
The Irish danced out of a jam in the top half of the fourth before tying it in the bottom half. Andrew Belcik entered the game after a pair of walks put Eagles on first and second with no outs. Belcik got a pair of strikeouts, then walked the bases loaded before getting a fly out to end the frame.
In the bottom half, Vierling drew a leadoff and after a flyout by Kerschner, was retired when Kavadas reached on a fielder’s choice. Gilgenbach then hammered the first pitch he saw high off the protective netting behind the left field wall to tie the game, 3-3.
The visitors quickly retook the lead in the fifth. Joe Suozzi led off with a double before being sacrificed to third and Alu delivered a sacrifice fly to plate the run.
The Irish eighth saw Podkul get hit by a pitch with one out before Vierling drew a walk. The pair advanced to second and third on a passed ball, leading the Eagles to intentionally walk Kerschner to load the bases with one out. BC went to southpaw Joey Walsh to get the match-up against the lefty Kavadas. The lefty-lefty battle went to Kavadas, who singled to left and scored Podkul to tie the game at 4. Gilgenbach then rolled a ground ball to short, but the shortstop Jake Palomaki could not field it cleanly and everyone was safe, including Vierling as the go-ahead run. Jung then grounded into a double play to keep the Irish from adding any insurance.
Up Next
Notre Dame continues its 11-game homestand on Tuesday, May 1, when Western Michigan, the most common opponent in program history, visits Frank Eck Stadium for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.
— ND —
Michael Scholl has been a member of the Fighting Irish Media communications staff at his alma mater since August 2016. He serves as the secondary contact for the Irish football and hockey teams while coordinating communications efforts for the women’s tennis program. Scholl has previously worked in communications at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Providence College, Vanderbilt University and the University of Cincinnati. The South Bend, Indiana, native earned a degree in political science from the College of Arts and Letters in 2009.