NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Jackson Dennies had a strong outing on the mound while Davis Johnson had a career day at the dish as the Notre Dame baseball team prevailed in a 2-1 final at Belmont University on Saturday.
A double play stopped an Irish chance in the top of the first inning after Bino Watters reached on a single to left field. Davis Johnson, meanwhile, cut down a Belmont runner trying to steal to record the first out of the bottom of the first. Jackson Dennies retired the next two batters with a groundout and a strikeout to end the bottom half of the opening inning.
Carson Tinney led off the second with a single through the left side, but another double play by the Bruins broke things up for the Notre Dame bats. Estevan Moreno came all the way back from being down 0-2 in the count to draw a two-out walk before a ground out moved things on to the bottom of the second. Belmont got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the frame with a triple and a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 advantage.
The Irish left a runner on base in the third, but Jackson Dennies and the defense locked down on the Bruins to retire the side in order with a pop up and a pair of strikeouts. Notre Dame forced Belmont into stranding a runner on base in the bottom of the fourth as the score still stood at 1-0 in favor of the Bruins.
The Irish broke through in the next half inning. Davis Johnson got things going in the top of the fifth with a one-out single. Nick DeMarco ran the count full before drawing a walk to put a pair on base. DM Jefferson drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for the Irish. Two batters later, Bino Watters worked his at-bat to a full count before earning a walk to drive in Johnson.
Belmont had a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth. Dennies induced an infield pop up before slamming the door shut with a three-pitch strikeout to send the game to the sixth. Dennies continued to deal as the team captain struck out the next three batters to sit down the side.
Davis Johnson took little time to give the Irish the lead as the sophomore catcher belted the first home run of his career – a solo shot to right field – for the 2-1 lead. Nick DeMarco was hit by a pitch, and DM Jefferson used a sacrifice bunt to put DeMarco into scoring position. Two batters later, the Irish had runners at the corners after Bino Watters drew a walk after DeMarco had stolen third. The Bruins’ defense cut the scoring to just one for the Irish, however, as a play between third and home led to the third out of the inning.
Dennies recorded the first out of the seventh with yet another strikeout. Justin Mayes Jr. came on in relief two batters later and got the second out of the inning with a fielder’s choice in the infield. With the bases loaded two batters later, Mayes Jr. induced an infield groundout to end the chance and the inning to preserve the 2-1 lead for the Irish.
Tobey McDonough had his number called in the bottom of the eighth and sat down the side after allowing a two-out single as Notre Dame carried the 2-1 advantage into the ninth. McDonough induced a line drive out to Estevan Moreno before getting a strikeout looking for the second out of the inning. Nick DeMarco then snagged a line drive for the final out of the game in the 2-1 final.
Jackson Dennies went a career-best 6.1 innings on the mound and matched his career-high mark of eight strikeouts while earning the win. Justin Mayes Jr. closed out the final two outs of the seventh and forced Belmont into stranding the bases loaded. Tobey McDonough earned his third save of the season after going 2.0 while allowing just one hit and striking out a pair.
Davis Johnson posted career-highs of hits and runs scored while also blasting the first home run of his Irish career on a 3-for-4 effort at the dish. The sophomore drove in a run and scored both runs in the victory. Bino Watters had a hit, two walks, and an RBI, and Carson Tinney added a hit for the Irish.
Notre Dame (7-1) closes out the three-game series against Belmont on Sunday at E.S. Rose Park at 1:00 p.m. ET.