JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Notre Dame baseball team took an early lead and closed out the game late in a 5-3 win over North Florida in the season opener on Friday night.
The Irish jumped on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Jared Zimbardo delivered a two-out single through the left side in his first at-bat in an Irish uniform to drive in Estevan Moreno from second base. Notre Dame doubled their advantage in the top of the fourth inning with a lead-off home run from Carson Tinney. The offense kept things rolling as Zimbardo and Jayce Lee both drew walks to put a pair of runners on base. After a passed ball saw both runners advance, Connor Hincks used a deep fly ball to drive in Zimbardo with the sacrifice for the 3-0 advantage.
Jack Radel, meanwhile, retired the first nine batters he faced. Radel struck out one batter in the first and the second innings before retiring a pair to close out the third. The defense helped the sophomore right-handed pitcher get out of a jam in the fourth before a come-back grounder to Radel shut the door on the inning as the Ospreys stranded a pair of runners on base.
The Irish added to the lead in the top of the fifth. Bino Watters drew a lead-off walk, and Estevan Moreno followed suit with a walk. Carson Tinney continued to have a hot bat as the sophomore drove an RBI single up the middle to plate Watters from second. Two batters later, Jayce Lee picked up his first hit and RBI of his career for the Irish with a single as Moreno came in to score.
Ricky Reeth came on in relief in the bottom half of the inning and made quick work of the Ospreys by retiring the side in order with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout.
North Florida plated a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Irish defense stood strong in the top of the seventh to force the home side into stranding a pair of runners on base. The Ospreys were able to push two runs across in the eighth to make it a 5-3 game heading into the final frame. North Florida put a runner on base in the ninth, but Tobey McDonough shut the door on the inning and the game with a strikeout looking to preserve the 5-3 victory.
Carson Tinney went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI with a run scored. Jared Zimbardo was 1-for-4 with a single, an RBI, and a walk. Jayce Lee added a 1-for-2 effort at the plate with a walk and an RBI. Connor Hincks notched a hit and an RBI. DM Jefferson drew three walks and Bino Watters was walked twice on the night. Estevan Moreno added a hit and a walk while scoring two runs.
Jack Radel went four complete innings on the mound with four strikeouts and no runs with one hit surrendered. Ricky Reeth went 3.1 for the Irish and tallied five strikeouts. Tobey McDonough closed out the final 1.2 innings and struck out one while earning the first save of his career.
The Irish (1-0) are now set to face North Florida for a doubleheader on Saturday, February 15 due to inclement weather in the forecast. Game one is set to begin at 2 p.m. ET. Game two will begin approximately one hour after the completion of game one.